BOARD OF EDUCATION ______

A REGULAR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING was held on Monday, March 14, 2011, in the Gymnasium at Riverview Elementary School, 4303 Troy Street, Wausau WI. The meeting had been properly publicized in compliance with the Open Meeting Law.

Present: Michael Hartkopf, Patrick Keefe, Dale Lawson, Theresa Miles, Keith Montgomery, Ph.D., John Ostertag, Jane Rusch, Michelle Schaefer, and Robb Shepherd.

Also Present: Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Kathleen Williams; Assistant Superintendent of Business, Cherna Gorder; Director of Human Resources & Employee Relations, Jeff Gress; Director of Education, Karen Wendorf- Heldt, Ph.D.; Director of Education, Nell Anderson; Director of Technology & Media Services, Joel VerDuin; Director of Pupil Services, Jeff Joyce; Director of Special Education, Tammy Fruik; Coordinator of Education, Thom Hahn; Community Relations Coordinator, Mary Ellen Marnholtz; Deputy Clerk, Amy Arlen; and Wausau West High School Student Board Representative, Mark Pan.

I. CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE President Schaefer presided and called the meeting to order at 6:01 PM. She also led the Pledge of Allegiance.

II. OPEN FORUM COMMENTS FOR ITEMS APPEARING ON THE AGENDA Jeff Johnson commented on the Governor’s proposed biennial budget and its impact on public education, and Lanore Rusch commented on the State Budget and the removal of bargaining rights for teachers.

Keefe arrived at 6:08 PM.

III. APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA A. Additional Staff There were none.

B. Contract Increases There were none.

C. Layoffs / Recalls from Layoff There were none.

D. Leaves of Absence There were none.

E. Replacement Staff There were none.

F. Resignations Kristen M. Bauer (Grade 5 Teacher/Stettin Elementary School) 1.0 FTE effective June 6, 2011; Heidi L. Gallatin (Cross Categorical Teacher/) 1.0 FTE effective June 6, 2011; Christina Lea Samuels (Cognitive Disabilities Teacher/Wausau West High School) 1.0 FTE effective June 6, 2011; and Troy Allen Wirtz (Learning Disabilities Teacher/Wausau East High School) 1.0 FTE effective June 6, 2011.

G. Terminations There were none.

H. Voluntary Retirements There were none.

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I. Minutes – Regular Session of February 14, 2011; Closed Session of February 21, 2011; and Closed Session of February 28, 2011

J. Payment of Bills Monthly bills totaling $1,904,739.28.

K. Approve Donations to District $150 worth of supplies, boots, and shoes from First Presbyterian Church to Franklin Elementary School; $50 from Jan and Anita Anderson Bublik for books to Hawthorn Hills Elementary School; $1,385.53 from Bank of Wausau-Guardian Plus Money Market Account to Lincoln Elementary School; soldering kit valued at $75 from Robert Raff and $300 worth of welding materials from Larry Wetzel, Mississippi Welding Supply, to Wausau Engineering and Global Leadership Academy; $200 from Harvey Nelson Trust Company for the Program, $1,234.95 from Wausau West Band Boosters for 2011 Band trip to Milwaukee/Chicago March 4-6, 2011, $300 worth of fabric from Karen Weinke for Family and Consumer Education Department, $500 from Wausau Westside Business Association for the April 2011 DECA International competition in Orlando, Florida, $500 from Daniel and Diane Priebe for 2011 State Hockey Tourney Expenses and State Hockey Banquet to Wausau West High School; $150 for uniforms for the Orchestra Programs and $3,000 from Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company for Science Departments to Wausau East and Wausau West High Schools; and 20 copies of Shakespeare Made Easy: Julius Caeser valued at $111.84 from Shari Sailing to Wausau East High School.

Montgomery moved to approve the consent agenda and expressed great gratitude for donations to the District, seconded by Hartkopf. Motion carried.

IV. BOARD RESOLUTION OF COMMENDATION Ostertag moved that the Board of Education award the Resolution of Commendation to Linda Krenz, Special Education Teacher at Wausau East High School, for receiving the G.J. McAleavy Award from Marathon County 4-H, recognizing her dedication to the Marathon County 4-H program on a club and countywide level over a considerable period of time, seconded by Shepherd. Motion carried.

V. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS A. Education Committee 1. Proposal for 4th Quarter Pilot Schedule Modification at Wausau East High School Ostertag moved that the Board of Education approve the Wausau East High School Research and Design Team’s proposal to pilot a 4th quarter schedule modification to allow time for teacher collaboration and professional development beginning in April 2011 and continuing with the 2011-2012 school year dependent upon a successful pilot, seconded by Hartkopf. Motion carried.

2. School Counseling Program Education Committee Chair Montgomery reported on the comprehensive school counseling program presented at the last Education Committee meeting.

B. Operations Committee 1. Elementary School Fee Operations Committee Chair Keefe stated the Operations Committee does not recommend implementing an elementary school fee.

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2. 2011-2012 Capital Projects Budget Lawson moved that the Board of Education approve the Three-Year Capital Projects Plan and Budget for fiscal year 2011-2012 in the amount of $1,050,000, seconded by Shepherd. Motion carried.

3. Municipal Employee Health Retirement Arrangement (HRA) Benefit Montgomery moved that the Board of Education approve the Health Retirement Arrangement (HRA) benefit for municipal employees, seconded by Shepherd. Motion carried.

4. State Education Budget Keefe mentioned that committee members received an update on federal and state school funding.

VI. STATE BUDGET REPAIR BILL & GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED BUDGET Gorder presented an overview of the impacts of the State Budget Repair Bill and Governor Walker’s 2011-2013 Biennial Budget proposal. Elements of these bills will increase the District’s 2011-2012 deficit from $1.6 million to approximately $5 million. Increased employee contributions to benefits will reduce approximately $3 million of this deficit. The remaining $1.6 to $2 million will result from the District’s annual budget balancing process.

Rusch introduced a proposed Board Resolution in opposition to the Governor’s budget proposal. The Resolution was tabled and referred to the Policy, Resolution & Legislation Committee.

VII. INITIAL RECOMMENDATION FOR BALANCING DISTRICT’S 2011-2012 BUDGET The Administrative Team presented the 2011-2012 Summary of Proposed Budget Reductions/Efficiencies. Budget reductions totaling $1,811,200 were proposed with $149,717 in add backs, leaving proposed total reductions/efficiencies of $1,661,483.

VIII. COMMITTEE/BOARD REFERRALS There were none.

IX. OPEN FORUM A. Public Comment for Items Not Appearing on the Agenda Scott Mackin, Reading Recovery Consortium Teacher Leader, introduced himself to the Board.

B. Student Board Representative Report Reports were presented from High School Board Representative Mark Pan and from Patrick Keefe (for Taylor Keefe) about recent and upcoming school events.

C. Superintendent Comments Dr. Williams attended a meeting at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., along with other central Wisconsin members of the Kennedy Center Partnership. While in Washington, she was able to meet with staff members from Senator Kohl and Senator Johnson’s offices as well as Congressman Duffy and Congresswoman Moore’s offices.

Dr. Williams reported the Joint Leadership Team held 1.5 days of planning sessions in preparation for this spring’s community engagement event:

· Honoring Tradition · Imagining Possibilities · Engineering Change A Summit on the Future of Education in Wausau

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The Summit will bring the District and community together to determine our shared interests and priorities for the future of education in the District.

Dr. Williams attended the State Hockey Tournament games and the Pep Assembly at Wausau West honoring the state champions. She also commented on the phenomenal athletes the District has and praised the Wausau Storm, the West Girls State Curling Champions, and the large number of student athletes who competed at state in .

She welcomed federal and state officials to a Wisconsin Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Education Network event at NTC. In addition, she spoke to the Golden K Kiwanis Club and visited the Noon Rotary Club.

She assisted with Diversity Camp at Horace Mann Middle School.

Dr. Williams toured UWMC with Interim Dean Dr. Keith Montgomery and visited Rasmussen College to speak about partnership opportunities.

She attended the Chamber’s First Tuesday meeting, participated in Read Across America at Maine Elementary School, and read to students at John Marshall Elementary School’s event, Camp John Marshall.

She met with Barb Klofstad and Kristine Vanden Heuvel of the Wausau School Foundation, met with State Representative Donna Seidel, and NTC President Dr. Lori Weyers.

Dr. Williams has been meeting with a number of administrators regarding future administrative positions and has been involved in a number of budget planning meetings.

Dr. Williams reported that a majority of the administration, the Board, and the WEA leadership participated in an evening training on Interest-Based Problem Solving.

She also attended CWETA’s production of Phantom and said she was “blown away” by the performance.

D. Board Liaison Report Hartkopf attended the John Muir Team 7-2 Awards Ceremony. He participated in Read Across America at South Mountain Elementary School. He enjoyed watching the State Hockey finals and attended the Art Cluster Ceremony at the Marathon County Public Library. He reminded everyone that the Art Cluster work is on display at the Library throughout the month of March.

Ostertag participated in the Interest Based Problem Solving training.

Dr. Montgomery participated in Read Across America at Rib Mountain and South Mountain Elementary Schools. He participated in the local DPI’s Career Luncheon.

Lawson attended Phantom and the Rib Mountain Elementary School Spaghetti Dinner.

Shepherd met with Wausau West principal Jeb Steckbauer. He attended Phantom and attended the State Alpine Ski Meet in La Crosse. He also attended Camp John Marshall and was able to read a story at the event.

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Miles thanked Nancy Cedar and Kim Larson for taking her on a tour of the Boys and Girls Club. She attended the Montessori Peace Concert at the Wausau Center Mall. She continues to volunteer at Jefferson Elementary and Rob Mountain Montessori. She participated in the Horace Mann Diversity Camp. She attended Phantom and has been listening to many teachers during this difficult time. She admonished them to continue to be proud to be a teacher.

Schaefer participated in the Interest-Based Problem Solving training and the strategic directions engagement planning sessions. She enjoyed participating at both events.

X. REQUEST FOR CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO STATE STATUTES Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes, Shepherd moved, seconded by Montgomery, to reconvene in closed session to discuss the following:

A. WEA Negotiations s. 19.85(1)(c) B. Administrative Contracts & Restructuring s. 19.85(1)(c) C. Adjournment

A roll call vote was recorded: Hartkopf, Keefe, Lawson, Miles, Montgomery, Ostertag, Rusch, Schaefer, and Shepherd voting aye. Motion carried at 8:00 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

John L. Ostertag Clerk of the Board

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