At the start of the regular Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Operations, Jerrud Rossing, provided an update on the Teacher Compensation Learning Session that took place prior to the meeting.
The session updated the Board of Education on the Teacher Compensation Committee's progress in developing a new teacher pay model for review and consideration by the board.
During the session, Rossing presented an overview of the committee's work, including a draft compensation model they developed. Since October 2023, the Teacher Compensation Committee has met five times, and all meeting materials have been made publicly available.
As part of their research, the committee examined compensation models from other school districts in the area.
The committee has one more meeting scheduled for January 29, 2024.
Superintendent's Report
Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue provided an update in her "Superintendent's Report" regarding recent events in the district.
Board members and district-level administrators attended the annual Wisconsin Education Convention in Milwaukee last week. Congratulations to Board Member Bob Green for being recognized for his 20 years of service in our district.
Our MHS Chamber Wind Ensemble delivered an outstanding performance to a packed audience during the convention, earning a well-deserved standing ovation. Thanks to directors Doug Brown, Michael Ver Voort, and Eric Rothacker.
January 22, 2024, was a professional development day in the district. Various sessions were held, covering topics such as de-escalation strategies, personal wellness, working with neuro-diverse students, foundational literacy training, motivational interviewing, instructional planning using genre-specific language functions and features, sharing of text sets across grade-level teams, and standards-based grading and development designs. Superintendent Monogue thanked all staff members who prepared and facilitated these sessions.
Superintendent Monogue also recognized that we have now reached the midpoint of the school year. She extends her gratitude to the staff, students, and families for working together to create valuable learning opportunities and co-curricular experiences during the first semester. She eagerly looks forward to more growth and success as we embark on the second semester.
Capital Maintenance Projects for 2024-2025
Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jerrud Rossing presented the capital maintenance plan for the district. The plan outlines the major maintenance needs of the district's facilities and proposes projects for the next ten years. These projects aim to ensure the upkeep of the facilities within an annual budget of $1 million.
Proposed projects include HVAC replacements, roofing, concrete work, irrigation, parking lots, playgrounds, and more.
Some specific projects mentioned in the presentation are as follows:
In the 2024-2025 period, a cooling tower replacement is proposed for Sunset Ridge Elementary at a cost of $340,000. Additionally, bathroom remodeling is proposed for Sauk Trail, estimated at $350,000.
In the 2025-2026 period, Park Elementary School is slated to undergo boiler and chiller replacements, with a total projected cost of $280,000.
This item is scheduled for approval on February 12, 2024.
Data Update to the Board on Code of Conduct
Dr. Silvia Romero-Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, along with Nick Wasmund, Data and Assessment Coordinator, conducted an analysis of behavior incident data, and how it was impacted by the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District. They began their presentation by emphasizing the significance of acknowledging that our students are more than just data points while analyzing the results.
During the 2019-2020 school year, the district implemented a new CoC for student behavior. This report reviewed data from the past few years and identified both positive changes and areas for improvement.
Interviews with deans revealed that the CoC has aided in standardizing staff responses to behavior incidents and ensuring consistent policy communication with students and families. As the initial development of the CoC lacked substantial elementary level feedback, Deans see future work requiring inclusion of elementary level perspectives.
The data analysis shows some positive trends. There has been a notable decrease in overall behavior incidents, especially at the middle school level. This decrease suggests that the CoC has had a positive impact on reducing behavior issues. Additionally, the number of students with multiple referrals has also decreased, indicating progress in minimizing repeated offenses.
Wasmund reported an increase in the use of suspensions, both out-of-school and in-school, since the implementation of the CoC. The report also identified disparities in behavior incidents and suspensions among certain student groups, including black students, economically disadvantaged students, and students with special education needs.
While the use of certain restorative practices, such as mediation, has shown modest growth, the adoption of approaches like restorative conferences has remained at similar levels as before the implementation of the Code of Conduct (CoC).
Moving forward, a team has been tasked with better aligning the CoC framework across all grade levels. They will also provide guidance to staff and update policies to address gaps revealed in the data, especially around restorative options to suspension.
Approval of 2024-2025 Open Enrollment Plan
During the board meeting held on January 8, 2024, Deputy Superintendent Sherri Cyra provided a comprehensive discussion and review of the open enrollment data and policy for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year.
At this meeting on January 22, Cyra highlighted a change that has been made since the previous report. This included the transfer of 10 available spots from 10th grade to 9th grade at the high school level. This adjustment was deemed more beneficial for families.
The policy itself remained the same. Cyra addressed a question raised at the last meeting concerning special education. She mentioned that if a student who is enrolled in our district through open enrollment later requires special education support, their application would be re-evaluated to determine if our district can accommodate their needs.
The Board of Education approved the 2024-2025 open enrollment openings and policy.
Approval of School Resource Officers Contracts
The board approved the new contracts for the School Resource Officers (SROs) with both the Village of Cross Plains and the City of Middleton Police Departments. These contracts have been reviewed by the respective departments and municipalities, and no changes were recommended.
Approval of Supervisor and Administrator Contracts
The board has granted approval for the Administrative and Supervisor contracts for the upcoming school year, 2024-2025. Supervisor contracts undergo annual review and approval by the Board of Education. On the other hand, administrative contracts are approved on a biennial basis.
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