The December 18, 2023 Board of Education meeting began with an exciting announcement from Weed Man, a local lawn care service. They generously donated $20,000 to Sauk Trail Elementary. Not only did they bring in a fancy big check for a photo opportunity, but this donation will have a significant impact on the school.
Sauk Trail Elementary has been working towards the goal of purchasing new furniture for over 8 years. With the support of its building budget and PTO group, they have made progress. However, more than half of the classrooms still required upgrades.
Thanks to the generous donation from Weed Man, Sauk Trail Elementary now has a tremendous opportunity to improve the learning environment. This donation will allow them to upgrade between 5 to 7 classrooms with new tables and chairs, creating a more flexible and student-friendly atmosphere.
Next, over 50 amazing MCPASD custodians were honored with the esteemed "above and beyond" award as a tribute to their dedication and outstanding performance. The superintendent carefully selects recipients of this award based on their exceptional performance that goes beyond the expectations of their job duties.
While not all custodians were able to attend, those present were individually acknowledged for their significant contributions to our schools. Allow us to take this opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of all MCPASD custodians. Your hard work and commitment reflect the very essence of our school district's mission.
Below are the names of all MCPASD custodians.
Youcef Amraoui | Maria Hidrogo Serrano | Maria Norris |
Mason Anderson | Ben Judd | Olga Parra Bermeo |
Nick Babecky | Mason Kells | Rod Prest |
Ian Barbus | Jacob Kerl | James Rauch |
Wyatt Barhite | Abes Khoualed | Ahmed Salmin |
Zouheyr Bouchareb | Keily Lara Enamorado | Noel Sarbacker |
Salheddine Boudjefdjouf | Alma Lara | Elida Senn |
Eric Bowser | Paula Leyva Martinez | Olga Senn |
Rich Bruns | Sherri Lombard | John Siebold |
Maria Calderon | Griffin Lovings | Griselda Solis De Drucker |
Daniel Carrano Vallejos | Carlos Machado | Casey Sparacino |
Delia Carrano-Vallejos | Michelle Manske | Steven Stekelberg |
Angelica Castellanos Leyva | Tad Mickelson | Parker Sumwalt |
Hssaine El Hasnaoui | James Myers | Dennis Wade |
Rodney Esser | Amy Nelson | Laura Waite |
Tom Gundeck | Betcie Naveda | John Wayne |
Neng Yang | Andy Yang | Cytrue Ya |
Custodians who were unable to attend the meeting will be honored with their well-deserved award at a future date.
During the discussion of the consent agenda, it was brought to the attention of the board that the Sunset Ridge PTA made a donation of $44,000 towards the purchase of playground equipment.
The board unanimously approved the donation.
State Accountability Report Cards
Moving on to the following agenda items, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Silvia Romero-Johnson and District Assessment Coordinator Nick Wasmund presented the board with an overview of the recently released 2022-2023 District and School report cards. These report cards, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), provide detailed information about school and district performance in various areas, such as student achievement, growth, graduation rates, and more.
Three of our schools, namely Elm Lawn Elementary, Pope Farm Elementary, and Sunset Ridge Elementary, were ranked as "Significantly Exceeds Expectations," the highest category awarded by DPI.
Six of our schools, including Northside Elementary, Park Elementary, West Middleton Elementary, Glacier Creek Middle School, Kromrey Middle School, and Middleton High School, were reported as "Exceeding Expectations," the second highest category.
Sauk Trail and Clark Street Community School (CSCS) were rated as "Meets Expectations" using this set of criteria. Notably, CSCS demonstrated the most growth among all MCPASD schools.
Although the district's overall accountability score slightly decreased from the previous year, MCPASD still maintains a rating of "Exceeds Expectations."
The report highlights that this is the first year elementary schools are receiving scores for "target group outcomes," which assesses the performance of student subgroups. It also notes an increase in chronic absenteeism, negatively impacting the district's "on-track to graduation" rating. Efforts are underway to identify students requiring extra support, and staff members are collaborating with Engage WI to address attendance concerns.
While MCPASD continues to excel in achievement and growth scores, the report encourages caution when interpreting any score declines due to ongoing impacts from the pandemic. It further explains the calculations and data sources utilized in evaluating the four priority areas: achievement, growth, target group outcomes, and on-track to graduation.
For a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and areas of improvement in MCPASD schools, the complete school and district report cards are available on our MCPASD website or on the DPI website. These report cards offer valuable data for parents, staff, administrators, and community members.
Sustainability Planning
Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jerrud Rossing provided an update on sustainability planning in our district. This update follows the report from McKinstry that was presented during the December 4, 2023, BOE meeting. For more information on that report, please refer to this article.
Rossing's report focused on several key aspects of sustainability planning:
Current Sustainability Initiatives: The report highlighted the ongoing sustainability efforts already in place at MCPASD schools and facilities. These initiatives include LED lighting upgrades, geothermal systems, solar energy installations, and more.
Sustainability Goals: The report outlined the different categories, or "buckets," of sustainability goals that the district is working towards. These buckets include Environmental Stewardship, Operational Excellence, and Educational Engagement. Examples of specific goals within these categories include energy reduction, implementation of recycling programs, development of sustainable purchasing policies, and curriculum enhancements focused on sustainability education.
Funding Sources: The report identified potential funding sources to support sustainability initiatives. These sources include operational budgets, capital project funds, grants, and other opportunities for external funding.
External Partnerships: The report acknowledged the importance of establishing partnerships with external entities to further support sustainability efforts. These partnerships could involve collaborations with local municipalities, county governments, vendors, and consultants.
Next Steps: The report presented a roadmap for the next steps in the sustainability planning process. These steps include the creation of a sustainability committee to oversee and guide the initiatives, conducting studies to assess the potential for renewable energy sources, developing a comprehensive sustainability plan with identified actions and funding strategies, and making decisions regarding the use of artificial or natural turf fields.
By focusing on these key areas, the district aims to further advance its sustainability efforts and create a more environmentally conscious and sustainable learning environment for students and staff.
Update on Certified Staff Compensation Committee Meeting
Board members Sheila Dahmen Hibner, Bob Green, and Marni Ginsberg provided an update on the Certified Staff Compensation Committee meeting held on December 12, 2023. This committee, led by Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jerrud Rossing, has been tasked with developing a compensation model for certified staff in the district. The committee has looked at a salary schedule(s) for all certified staff positions, including teachers, therapists, nurses, and more.
The draft(s) model suggests salary lanes based on education level and credentials. Advancement within these draft model(s) steps would be based on years of service, resulting in annual raises. However, the implementation of any changes to the schedule would require approval from the Board.
Several key points have emerged from the committee's discussions thus far:
Placement within the salary schedule would be determined by an individual's degree and previous relevant experience, with steps representing years of service.
Advanced certifications, such as National Board certifications, would position employees in higher lanes.
The committee is considering offering additional steps and stipends to incentivize positions facing shortages or high demand.
Annual step movement and potential overall raises, subject to approval, will continue to be provided to staff.
These draft model(s) aim to establish greater consistency in compensation. The district aims to remain competitive in the job market, particularly for hard-to-fill roles.
While the specific details regarding lane differentiations, stipends, and raise amounts are still being developed, the key focus is on ensuring a single schedule that acknowledges staff growth and addresses staffing shortages. It is important to note that the finer details are still a work in progress.
The compensation committee intends to present a report with these findings as an informational item in early February (2024), with the expectation of board approval by the end of February.
Safety and Security Update
James Blodgett, Director of Safety & Security, provided an update on Safety and Security.
The report highlighted the following key points:
Safety and Security Initiatives: The report detailed the various safety and security initiatives that have been implemented for the 2023-24 school year. These initiatives include a planned multi-agency functional exercise scheduled for June 2024, aimed at practicing response procedures for critical incidents. A steering committee composed of district staff, police, fire, EMS, and emergency management has been coordinating this exercise.
Standardized Drills and Trainings: Efforts have been made to standardize drills and trainings for situation response teams at all levels, including elementary, middle, and high schools. This standardization involves establishing protocols, setting goals, and implementing debriefing processes to ensure consistency and effectiveness in emergency preparedness.
Critical Incident Recovery and Reunification Protocol: A critical incident recovery and reunification protocol is being developed based on the PREPaRE model. Trainings have been conducted to familiarize staff with the implementation of this protocol, which includes setting up a recovery hub to provide trauma support to those affected by an incident.
Communication Plans: The report emphasized the importance of effective communication during and after a critical incident. Communication plans have been established to keep families and the community informed, focusing on maintaining transparency while respecting privacy concerns. A unified critical incident communication team, consisting of representatives from the district, city, county, and police, has been formed to coordinate public messaging.
Ongoing Preparedness: The report highlighted that planning and trainings for emergency preparedness will continue throughout the school year. This demonstrates a commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for students and staff.
By implementing these initiatives and maintaining a focus on preparedness, the district aims to enhance safety and security measures in order to protect and support the well-being of all members of the school community.
Approval of Emergency Crisis Plan
Every year, it is mandatory for the board to give their approval for the emergency crisis plans in our district. The board was provided with copies of both the district and school crisis plans to thoroughly examine.
The plans were unanimously approved.
Approval of Pupil Non-Discrimination Audit
Another item brought forward for approval was the presentation of findings from the Pupil Non-Discrimination Audit, initially presented by Director of Student Services Chris Mand at the December 4, 2023 meeting. The Board of Education unanimously approved the report.
This report aimed to assess the district's compliance with the pupil non-discrimination law and policies in Wisconsin.
Here are some key points about the report:
Evaluation Criteria: The report examined data and policies in 11 different areas regarding educational equality and non-discrimination. These areas included school board policies, enrollment trends, curriculum and instruction, discipline data, extracurricular participation, scholarship awards, efforts to close achievement gaps, and more.
Comprehensive Analysis: The report presented data broken down by student demographics and protected characteristics such as race, gender, and disability status. This analysis helped identify any trends or disproportionate outcomes in these areas.
Progress and Areas for Improvement: The report identified areas of progress, such as increased diversity in Advanced Placement (AP) course participation. However, it also highlighted areas that still need improvement, such as suspension rates for certain student groups.
Recommendations: A set of recommendations was provided based on the analysis. These recommendations included implementing more culturally responsive practices, reviewing policies and curricula for potential bias, and setting specific goals related to equity.
Stakeholder Input: The report reflected input from various stakeholders within the district, including school board members, administrators, teachers, students, and families.
Dual Purpose: The report served both as an evaluation of compliance with non-discrimination laws and as a guiding tool for the district's efforts to ensure educational equality and meet the needs of all students.
Approval of 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 Calendars
Deputy Superintendent Sherri Cyra presented the draft calendars for the next two school years to the board during the December 4th Regular Board Meeting. The board unanimously approved both calendars. The district communications team is currently working on translating the calendars into Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese to send out to families and staff at a later date.
After receiving feedback from over 500 MCPASD staff members, the following options received the highest number of votes:
First day: September 3, 2024
Last day: June 10, 2025
2-week winter break
2 PD days in August (1 additional day compared to this year)
First day: September 2, 2025
Last day: June 9, 2026
2-week winter break
Continuation of 2 PD days in August
Fall Break on October 30th & 31st as per the usual schedule
The main changes in these calendars include moving 1 PD day from February to August to better support literacy PD for ACT 20, and incorporating a 2-week winter break.
Decision on Pope Farm Lot Sale
Assistant Superintendent Jerrud Rossing presented an offer for Lot #9 located near Pope Farm Elementary School. This offer, which was the final item requiring approval, was for the full asking price, with a closing date in early February. The board unanimously approved this offer. With this approval, there are now only two lots left for sale in the district.
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