December 2025 Board Considerations
Monthly Update on CFAUSD Board of Education Activities
Purpose
Parkview Elementary Showcase at December Board Meeting
December School Board Learning Walk at Hillcrest Elementary
December School Board Learning Walk at Hillcrest Elementary
December 16, 2025 Regular Board Meeting
Student Representative Report
Chloe Johnson and Josiah Isenberger, Co-Student Representatives, provided their monthly report; click here for the full report.
Showcase a School
Parkview Elementary School
Jill Alexander, Parkview Elementary Principal, provided an overview of the English Language Arts curriculum and content that elementary students are learning. Ms. Alexander and Gina Galeazzi shared how the Wit & Wisdom curriculum, along with Functional Phonics and Functional Morphology, supports literacy development from kindergarten through fifth grade. Parkview’s student assessment data showed measurable growth in early literacy and oral reading fluency across grade levels. Mrs. Totzke, Library Media Specialist, along with Miley (4th grade) and Jack (5th grade) demonstrated what a battle looks like during Battle of the Books. This year, all six elementary schools in Chippewa Falls are competing in the Statewide Battle of the Books competition, which will take place at the end of February; click here for more information.
Focus On Results
R-2.1.a: Academic Performance (ELA)
Melissa Olson, Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning, provided an overview of the R-2.1.a: ELA Academic Performance monitoring report; the Board agreed that the District has made reasonable progress with noted exceptions with R-2.1.a for the past year; click here to view the report.
Review of Board Policy, R-2.1.a: Academic Performance - ELA and Discussion of Potential Indicator Revisions
Due to Act 20, adjustments will be made and shared with the Board when R-2.1.a is presented next December. No other changes are recommended at this time.
Monitoring Operational Performance
OE-7: Financial Administration
Chad Trowbridge, Business Manager, provided an overview of the OE-7 Financial Administration monitoring report; the Board agreed that the District is in compliance with OE-7 for the past year; click here to review the report.
Review of Board Policy, OE-7: Financial Administration and Discussion of Potential Indicator Revisions
Chad Trowbridge confirmed that the indicators align with NEOLA policy. No changes are recommended at this time.
Board Consent Agenda
Approval of New Hires, Resignations, Retirements, and Leaves of Absence
The Board approved the new hires, resignations, and retirements as presented by the Human Resources Department; click here for details.
Approval of Financial Reports
The Board approved the November financial reports as presented; click here for the detailed report.
Approval of Board Meeting Minutes
The Board approved the November meeting minutes; click here for details.
Consideration of Monitoring Report Summaries
The Board approved the monitoring report summaries as presented; click here for details.
Superintendent's Consent Agenda
Consideration of 2026-2027 District Calendar
The Board approved the 2026-2027 District Calendar as presented.
Consideration of 66.0301 Cooperative Agreement for Speech Language Services between ECASD and CFAUSD
The Board approved the 66.0301 Cooperative Agreement for Speech Services between the Eau Claire Area School District and the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District as presented.
Matters Reserved for Board Action
Consideration of Audit Report
Kyle Gruber of WIPFLI, LLP outlined the 2024-2025 audit report, the Board voted to approve the 2024-2025 audit report as presented; click here for more information.
Consideration of 2026 Proposed WASB Resolutions
Sherry Jasper, WASB Delegate, presented the 2026 proposed WASB resolutions that will be voted on at the delegate assembly at the WI State Education Convention in January, the Board agrees to support the administration's recommendation as presented regarding which resolutions to support at the upcoming delegate assembly; click here for details.
Consideration of Ad Hoc Committee for Student Code of Conduct Policy Review
Superintendent Holmes provided information regarding the need for an ad hoc committee to be formed for the upcoming Student Code of Conduct policy review, the Board approved formation of an ad hoc committee to comprehensively review and update the Student Code of Classroom Conduct, as outlined in Policy 5500 as presented; click here for details.
Consideration of 2025-2028 Library Plan
Superintendent Holmes and Dawn Totzke, Library Media Specialist, provided a brief overview of the updates made to the 2025-2028 Library Plan. The goals and objectives are directly aligned with the CFAUSD Strategic Plan. The Board approved the 2025-2028 Library Plan as presented; click here for details.
Communicating with the Board (if applicable, click on the report heading for greater detail)
Early Compensation Study Findings - Certified Staff, Schedule C, and Substitutes
Sara Denure, Director of Human Resources, provided an update on the compensation study for certified staff, schedule C, and substitutes.
Sara Denure, Director of Human Resources, and Chad Trowbridge, Business Manager, provided an overview of the 2026-2027 staffing and budget timeline.
*Please note that the above information is provided pending the approval of Board minutes at their next regularly scheduled meeting.
Understanding the School Portion of Your Tax Bill
A message from the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District Board of Education President, Superintendent, and Business Manager
As property tax bills arrive across our 12 municipalities, we want to provide pertinent information regarding school funding in Wisconsin.
Your experience this year depends on where you live. Our district's mill rate decreased by 4.45%, but because CFAUSD serves communities with varying property value changes, some residents saw their school taxes increase while others saw decreases. If your property value rose significantly, you likely saw a higher bill despite the lower rate. If values in your area remained stable, you may have seen relief.
What drives these dynamics? This year, CFAUSD's total tax levy increased 4.68% while state aid to our district decreased by 2.64%. That gap represents a cost shift from state government onto local property taxpayers—regardless of local spending decisions.
Wisconsin school districts operate under state-imposed revenue limits. We cannot unilaterally raise taxes beyond what Madison authorizes. For the 17th consecutive year, the state permitted a per-pupil revenue increase below inflation. Historically, when the Legislature authorized such increases, it paired them with corresponding state aid to protect local taxpayers. The 2025-27 state budget broke from that practice.
Nearly three-quarters of Wisconsin school districts received less state aid this year than last. This isn't a Chippewa Falls Area problem—it's a statewide policy decision affecting urban, suburban, and rural communities alike. Continued underfunding of special education compounds these pressures, forcing districts to redirect operating dollars away from classrooms.
We remain committed to fiscal responsibility and transparency, working to maximize every dollar for student learning. But sustainable funding requires state leaders to acknowledge that authorizing spending increases without corresponding state aid shifts costs to local property taxpayers.
Please stay tuned for more information in the coming months as we continue to monitor the school funding conundrum being experienced throughout Wisconsin.
Latest episode from December 8, 2025
CONNECTING WITH YOUR BOARD OF EDUCATION
Your CFAUSD Board of Education
Bottom row - Board Members (l to r) - Steve Olson, Dave Martineau, and Sharon McIlquham,
Additional Board of Education Information
The Board of Education of the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District represents, leads and serves the district’s owners and holds itself accountable to them by committing to act in their best interests and by ensuring that all Board and district action is consistent with law and the Board’s policies.
The Board’s purpose is to assure that the District achieves the results described in the Board’s Results policies and that it operates according to the values expressed in the Board’s Operational Expectations policies.
The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District School Board members are committed to maintaining an open line of communication with residents of the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District. Anyone having specific questions relating to board policies or actions should call the Board of Education office at (715)726-2417 or by mail at:
Secretary of the Board of Education
1130 Miles Street
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Upcoming Board Events
Website Issues
Email: verdonjb@chipfalls.org
Website: https://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/
Location: 1130 Miles Street, Chippewa Falls, WI, USA
Phone: (715) 726-2417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chippewafallsschool