The Board of Education meeting commenced by honoring two distinguished board members.
This meeting marked the conclusion of service for both Simrnjit Seerha and Gail Shepler, as their terms have come to an end. Their unparalleled dedication to our District has been truly commendable. We extend our deepest gratitude for their service.
Being a board member is a role of immense responsibility and significance. Board members are instrumental in shaping the future of the districts they serve. They are tasked with making critical decisions that influence the quality of education and the overall environment of the District.
Simrnjit Seerha and Gail Shepler have exemplified what it means to be dedicated board members. Throughout their three-year term, they have actively participated in pivotal decisions and offered visionary guidance that has immensely benefited our District. Their efforts have not only enhanced the academic standards but also fostered an inclusive and encouraging environment for both the students and the staff. Their time as board members stands as a testament to their unwavering commitment and passion towards advancing the educational framework of our District.
Superintendent Dr. Dana Monogue provided an update in her report, highlighting several achievements.
To begin, accolades were given to two accomplished MHS seniors, Isha Chilukuri and Charlotte Kosek, for being awarded the prestigious Herb Kohl Scholarship. Kudos to these outstanding students for this notable achievement!
Superintendent Monogue extended her congratulations to Dr. Irene Resenly for receiving the Middle School Teacher of the Year award from the Wisconsin Social Studies Council.
Additionally, she highlighted the "Years of Service" ceremony, an event dedicated to acknowledging MCPASD staff who reached significant work milestones. Immense gratitude is offered to all staff members for their relentless hard work and commitment to the education and welfare of our students and their families, consistently demonstrated year after year.
Cardinal Academy Update
Cindy Malcheski, Director of Special Education, with Transitional Services Staff Gerilynn Rohrer and Molly Morse, provided a report on Cardinal Academy, a transition program for District students aged 18-21 with special education needs.
Cardinal Academy bridges high school to adult life through community-based experiential learning, enhancing independent living, social-emotional, vocational, and self-advocacy skills.
The program includes vocational training sites in the District and community, employment, internships, community outings, job shadowing, life skill lessons, and partnerships with external agencies like the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Currently, 75% of students are employed or interning, and 100% participate in training sites. Cardinal Academy customizes programs to individual student's IEP goals, with schedules ranging from full-time to part-time.
Focused on preparing students for post-secondary education, employment, and community engagement, Cardinal Academy is not academically centered or a high school extension but an experiential transition to adult living, aiming to align with students' personal goals for a "meaningful day."
Early Childhood Update
The Early Childhood program offered by the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District is a voluntary, all-encompassing program aimed at supporting children from ages three to five and their families. Principal Brett Humphrey, Cindy Malcheski, the Director of Special Education, and Ashley Fearn-Semenas, a Special Education Teacher provided an update to the Board of Education.
This program specifically caters to 3 and 4-year-old children who have been identified with disabilities that affect their learning and development. It provides them with specialized early intervention and special education services, aiming to offer the necessary support early in life. The program operates for 2.5 hours, three times a week, focusing on teaching children crucial skills such as social interaction, communication, emotional self-regulation, and self-care, primarily through play and tailored activities.
Additionally, the District offers a specialized program focusing on phonology for children aged 3 to 5 who demonstrate speech sound disorders. This program utilizes the evidence-based Cycles Approach, a method designed to systematically correct phonological errors. This early intervention is pivotal in rectifying speech errors and fostering the development of new speech patterns that are fundamental for the progress in reading and writing.
The seamless transition of almost all students from the 3-year-old Early Childhood program to the integrated 4K classrooms at the Early Learning Center is noteworthy. These 4K classes are unique within the District for their collaborative planning and teaching strategy executed by both general and special education staff.
An essential feature of this program is the monthly Child Find screening process, aimed at identifying children between the ages of 3-5 who might require early intervention services. This year, two-thirds of the children screened were recommended for a comprehensive special education assessment.
The report underscores the Early Childhood program's critical role in offering foundational early interventions and services, not just within the Early Learning Center but across the broader community. Such initiatives are instrumental in equipping young learners with the vital skills necessary for their success in academic pursuits and beyond.
Literacy Update
Assistant Superintendent Silvia Romero-Johnson, alongside Directors MaryBeth Paulisse and Mandi Sersch-Morstad, delivered a comprehensive update on the process of renewing the Literacy/Biliteracy Curriculum. Their presentation included insights into the District's reading performance, an overview of the Act 20 legislation, details about the literacy/biliteracy curriculum renewal committee's composition, and a projected timeline for the curriculum updates at both the district and state levels.
The Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District is in the midst of a significant transformation of its literacy and biliteracy programs for kindergarten through eighth grade. This revision is a direct response to the stagnant progress observed in reading scores, particularly in areas such as phonemic awareness, phonics, and decoding abilities.
The push for an expedited update to the curriculum was strongly influenced by the passing of Act 20 by the Wisconsin legislature in July 2023. This legislation requires school districts to adopt curricula that are grounded in the principles of science-based reading instruction and prohibits the use of instructional materials that rely on the three cueing method, a technique that had been widely used previously.
In response to the mandates of Act 20, the District put together a 25-member Literacy/Biliteracy Curriculum Renewal Committee. This diverse group includes teachers, specialists, instructional coaches, and administrators. Since September 2023, this committee has convened bi-monthly, engaging in detailed evaluations of research and data, formulating an equitable literacy framework, and rigorously assessing potential new curriculum materials.
Some of the key requirements of Act 20 that are shaping the District's work include:
Providing teacher training through the Lexia LETRS program on the components of science-based reading instruction
Adopting a state-selected universal reading screener for grades 4K-3
Developing reading plans for struggling students below the 25th percentile
Offering a summer intensive reading program for certain grade levels
The renewal committee is on track to select new curricular materials by April 2024, with implementation and teacher professional development following in Fall 2024. Ongoing training will continue through 2026 to ensure teachers are well-versed in delivering the new literacy instruction.
Despite the condensed timeline, the District remains committed to thoughtfully vetting materials, developing a sustainable professional learning plan, and securing resources that provide culturally responsive, rigorous literacy instruction aligned to the science of reading. Engaging all stakeholders is a priority throughout this renewal process.
The ultimate goal is to boost reading achievement levels, with targets of 85% of students reaching proficiency by 3rd and 8th grades on state assessments by 2024-2025. This major curriculum overhaul demonstrates the District's dedication to ensuring all students develop strong foundational literacy skills for future success.
2024-25 Enrollment Update
Deputy Superintendent Sherri Cyra shared the latest enrollment figures for the 2024-2025 school year, presenting encouraging statistics that could influence the academic year.
"Looking at our actual enrollment versus our projections, we're seeing higher numbers at all three levels," shared Cyra. More specifically, enrollment at the elementary level has exceeded projections by 16 students, the middle level by 21 students, and the high school level by 14 students.
In terms of kindergarten enrollment, 399 students are currently enrolled, surpassing the anticipated projection of 387. “I was really excited to see that,” expressed Sherri Cyra.
This data doesn't currently account for all open enrollment applications. These numbers are expected to be integrated in June and July, implying the potential for a further rise in enrollment.
Discussing the open enrollment applications, with a total of 166 applications received, the data inspires an optimistic outlook. Only 31 of these applications were from students who are currently enrolled. “Families can apply for open enrollment to up to three districts, so these numbers might shift,” Cyra pointed out. Nevertheless, she added, “The fact that we're not seeing a large number of students looking to enroll out of our District shows strong confidence in what we have to offer.”
The only area where projections were not met involves the 4K level. Cyra remarked, "It's typical for this time of year," indicating that it might not pose a concern at the moment and could align with the trends observed at other levels as the enrollment period continues.
Update on Employee Handbook Committee Meeting
Board President Sheila Dahmen Hibner, along with Vice President Bob Green, participated in the Employee Handbook Meeting on March 19. During the board meeting, Hibner provided a summary to the board that covered a range of topics discussed during the employee handbook meeting that included vacation time, general leave, staff days, consecutive leave, and insurance, among others.
To gather input on the handbook, a survey was distributed to the staff, aiming to identify any necessary adjustments.
Lastly, the Board of Education approved the following items:
Resolution for Appointing a New Trustee and Custodian for the WI OPEB Trust: The School District, in collaboration with CESA 6, is a participant in the Wisconsin OPEB Trust. This trust is responsible for holding and managing funds designated for the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) of our district employees. The board has given its consent to appoint a successor trustee and custodian for this trust.
Approval of 2024-2025 Teacher Contracts: It is the board's annual practice to review and approve contracts for teachers in the forthcoming school year. Based on the administration's evaluation, the board has agreed to issue contracts to the teachers listed in this document for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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