May 19, 2025 at 6:30 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  This is a meeting of the Board of Education in public for the purpose of conducting the School District's business and is not to be considered a public community meeting.

Description:  This meeting was noticed by way of publication in the Waterford Post on Thursday, May 15, 2025, was posted at the District Office (Door #7) and at Entrance #19, and was published on the District's website. The meeting was also posted at the following municipal offices within the WUHS District: Town of Norway, Town of Waterford, Village of Raymond, and  Village of Vernon, Minutes from the regular board meeting of March 17, 2025, and from the special meeting of April 3, 2025 are posted on the District's website.

Description:  Board members Mike Schoenfeld and Kelly Datka were re-elected at the spring election held April 1, 2025, and officially took office on the fourth Monday in April. The Board must elect officers to serve for the forthcoming year and determine committee assignments. 

Description:  Section 120.05(1)(c) of the WI State Statutes notes that in the case of a school board with more than 3 members, the school board shall annually elect a school district president, vice president, treasurer, and clerk from among its members at a school board meeting held on or within 30 days after the 4th Monday in April. The election of board officers can be made by a verbal vote or by paper ballot. The 2024-25 board officers were: President - Schoenfeld; Vice President - Purtell; Treasurer - Datka; Clerk - Schwartz; Director - Beck.

Description:  Annually, the Board President assigns board members to the various existing committees. Board members may wish to discuss the committee assignments. The previous committee assignments for the 2024-25 school year were as follows.

Description:  Board Policy 0164.1  Regular Meetings states that the  Board shall hold a meeting at least once each month on a date and at a time and place determined annually by a resolution of the Board. Attached is a list of proposed board meeting dates for the upcoming school year, which follows the established schedule of the third Monday each month with a few exceptions to avoid conflicts with holidays and spring break.  

Description:  Annually, the Board is required by statute to appoint a member as its representative at the annual CESA 2 Delegate Convention held in June. The 2025 meeting is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 17 in the conference room of the Whitewater Innovation Center in Whitewater, WI.  

Description: 

Each year, the District is required to appoint a board member and an alternate to serve as representatives at the 2026 Delegate Assembly held annually in conjunction with the WASB State Education Convention in January.  Each school district and CESA will have one board member serving as their representative at the Assembly.

Description: 

The Board will review and acknowledge the listing of bills paid by Waterford Union High School District between April 17 and May 16, 2025. This report provides detailed documentation of disbursements for general operations, including payments to vendors, event officials, contracted services, instructional supplies, facility maintenance, and co-curricular activities.

Notable items include legal services, Amazon instructional purchases, facility supplies, payments to WIAA event officials, and the School Resource Officer contract. This review affirms the District’s fiscal transparency and oversight of expenditures aligned with the approved budget.

Description:  The Board will consider approval of open enrollment applications for the 2024-25 school year in accordance with Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) rules. The open enrollment window has officially closed. Waterford Union High School received 55 open enrollment "in" applications—double the number from the previous year—indicating growing interest from families outside the district. Additionally, 11 students applied to open enroll out of the district. Approval of these applications formalizes the district’s participation in the state’s open enrollment program and ensures compliance with statutory timelines and reporting requirements.

Description:  Annually, the Board is required to adopt the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Special Education Policies and Procedures Manual, along with the accompanying Special Education Model Forms. These documents ensure the District remains in compliance with state and federal special education laws and regulations, including IDEA requirements. The manual and forms outline consistent procedures for referral, evaluation, eligibility, and service delivery for students with disabilities. Adoption affirms the District’s commitment to providing equitable and legally compliant educational services to all eligible students.

Description:  At this time the board would like to invite any member of the audience to stand with comments about items of interest or concern that do or do not appear on the agenda this evening. Please begin by stating your name and address. It would be appreciated if you would limit your comments to three minutes so that we can keep the meeting moving in a timely fashion and allow others an opportunity to speak. We ask that you remember that Wisconsin law prohibits us from discussing specific employees or their job performance. Thank you for your support of our school district.

Description:  The Student Council Sergeant at Arms will provide an update on the recent activities of various student co-curricular clubs. 

Description: 

The Board will receive a presentation from Erik Kass, PMA Financial, regarding a proposed defeasance of existing debt, continuing the District's strategic approach to debt levy management. This action would mark the third consecutive year of prepayment, applying approximately $5.7 million in available funds to retire callable maturities from the District’s 2019 bond issue. This move is expected to generate an estimated $1.05 million in net savings to future debt service obligations. The presentation will detail the financial impact, escrow requirements, and timeline for completion, with final escrow deposit anticipated by June 2, 2025.

Following the defeasance discussion, the Board will review and consider approval of Phase I financing related to the $24.9 million referendum passed on February 18, 2025. The initial issuance of $14 million in general obligation bonds is proposed to provide necessary project liquidity while taking advantage of favorable market conditions and the Small Issuer Exemption. PMA Securities will present bond structure options, interest rate projections, and mill rate implications, all aligning with the District’s commitment to a $0.00 mill rate impact. The Board will be asked to authorize a competitive bond sale scheduled for June 16, 2025.

Description: 

The Board will review the official joint statement issued by Waterford Union High School and Milwaukee Public Schools, along with the accompanying Executive Summary of Findings related to the May 7, 2025, track meet hosted at Waterford. These documents detail the investigation and confirmed incidents of racially inappropriate behavior directed at visiting athletes, particularly those from Rufus King High School.

The joint letter, co-signed by the superintendents of both districts, outlines the shared commitment to addressing harm, fostering inclusivity, and ensuring future accountability. The Executive Summary provides a factual account of the investigation, which included over 40 interviews, video reviews, and collaboration with external agencies. Immediate and long-term responses—including retraining event workers, community partnerships, and student engagement efforts—are outlined as part of the district’s continued response.

These documents reflect Waterford Union High School’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and building a school culture rooted in respect and inclusion.

Description:  Attached is the latest overview provided by Neola regarding updates to Policy 5722 as well as the updated policy with changes highligted. This will be brought to the board at the May 19 meeting for action.  

Description: 

The Board will consider approval of a resolution authorizing the defeasance of a portion of the District’s outstanding General Obligation School Improvement Bonds dated June 13, 2019. The resolution allows for the transfer of approximately $5.7 million of available funds into an escrow account to be held by Zions Bancorporation. These funds will be used to fully defease the 2028 and 2029 maturities, partially defease the 2027 and 2037 maturities, and call the 2030 through 2036 maturities for early redemption on March 1, 2029.

The resolution includes authorization to enter into an escrow agreement, retain financial and legal professionals to execute the transaction, and direct formal notices of defeasance and redemption. This proactive step continues the District’s strategy to reduce future debt service obligations and maximize long-term taxpayer savings.

Description:  Administration recommends adding up to a 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) teaching position in the English Language Arts (ELA) department to support the successful implementation of AP Seminar and Pre-AP courses. These additions expand academic opportunities for students and align with district goals for advanced coursework and college readiness. The additional staffing will ensure appropriate class sizes, allow for instructional planning and collaboration, and maintain the integrity of the PLC process with additional intervention support. The position will not exceed 1.0 FTE and may be adjusted based on final enrollment and scheduling needs.