December 15, 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, December 11, 2025, was posted at the District Office (Door #7) and at Entrance #19, and was published on the District's website. Minutes from the regular board meeting of October 27, 2025 and the special meeting of October 31, 2025 are posted on the District's website.

Description: 

The board will review and recommend approval of the monthly bills payable report. This report details all disbursements made by the district since the last meeting, including payroll, benefits, utilities, contracted services, instructional materials, and capital expenditures. Each payment has been verified for accuracy and appropriateness in accordance with district policy and state statute. Approval of bills payable affirms that the district’s financial transactions are transparent, properly documented, and consistent with the board-approved budget.

Description:  Act 143 requires schools to conduct at least one annual drill in the proper response to a school violence event, and submit a brief written summary to their school board or private school's governing body within 30 days of the drill. Schools may use this documentation to satisfy this requirement.

In compliance with the intent of Statute 143, WUHS conducts monthly safety drills and provides the documentation to the school board at the start of the school year.  Between January 1, 2025, and December 13, 2025, Waterford Union completed ten (10) ALiCE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate) when/then drills, six (6) fire evacuation drills with three canceled due to inclement weather, and one (1) tornado shelter in place drill. Waterford Union exceeds the number of safety drills the Department of Justice requires, so we provide a list of the drills at the end of the calendar year rather than reporting them to the Board of Education every thirty (30) days.  

Each of the ALiCE drills gathers feedback from staff leading the drills during instructional time. The drills require five to ten minutes of instructional time. The drills rotate so that most of the classes learn the exercises in various locations throughout the building. Each drill covers the different core tenets of the ALiCE protocol. Officer May creates and reviews the drills for the building.   

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 Math Department will present its work as a Professional Learning Community, highlighting how it functions as a collaborative team to improve student learning.

Description:  WUHS held its second annual Career Day on Wednesday, November 19. Adam Bell will share highlights and an overview of the event.

Description: 

The District’s independent audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, has been completed by Baker Tilly. The auditors issued an unmodified ("clean") opinion of the District.

Key Audit Findings

• No noncompliance or fraud identified. 
• Audit completed without difficulties.
• Material misstatements corrected. Two accounting entries needed adjustment:
• Recording the good-faith deposit related to the District’s pending bond issuance.
• Recording pension trust activity to ensure accurate reporting.
• These adjustments were routine, corrected by management, and did not reflect missing funds or operational errors. 

As in many Wisconsin school districts of similar size, auditors identified the District’s segregation of duties and financial statement preparation process as areas where staffing limitations create material weaknesses. These findings are common in small and mid-sized districts and were also noted in prior years. 

This audit confirms that:

• The District’s financial operations remain well-managed.
• Required accounting adjustments were addressed quickly and appropriately.
• No issues were found that would impact District stability, taxpayer confidence, or strategic planning.
• The audit supports the Board’s ongoing oversight responsibilities and affirms the District’s sound financial position.

Description: 

As part of the Board’s Ten-Year Facility Plan, Phase 2 identifies a right-sized competition gymnasium as the next major facility need. With Phase 1 construction underway and the second bond issuance for the current project scheduled for January, the district will have bonding capacity over the next 20 years to either defease existing debt or support additional capital improvements without increasing the mill rate. Given construction efficiencies that could be realized by aligning a potential 2027 gym addition with ongoing work, and recognizing that only one referendum may be placed per year, coupled with several neighboring municipalities planning referenda from 2027-2029, the November 2026 election represents the next clear window should the Board wish to preserve the option for timely Phase 2 implementation. This update is provided for long-range planning; no action is requested.

Description:  Recent questions regarding the Tech Ed equipment associated with the original FIM ED-4 referendum measure have been reviewed with the design and construction team. While some adjustments were made during design development to better balance instructional needs and project scope, the project does retain dedicated equipment dollars for Tech Ed. Currently, the budget holds $96,200 for instructional equipment and installation, $35,000 for CTE equipment moving and setup, and $13,000 for the Auto classroom corner shelf. Items originally listed in the referendum, such as the auto lift, scissor jacks, CNC router, CNC plasma table, table sander, and 3D printer, remain part of the conversation, though several components were reclassified or adjusted (e.g., grinding and resealing the auto shop floor instead of re-epoxying, adding new Auto and Engineering furniture, removing PCs already recently replaced, and designating some equipment as "if funds allow"). To ensure alignment between referendum intent, current instructional priorities, and budget capacity, a joint review is scheduled with the Tech Ed department, Nexus, and the project team on January 9, 2027 to finalize the equipment list, confirm dollars held, and prioritize needs. This discussion item is presented for continued Board dialogue and direction.

Description:  The adjusted, proposed calendar for the 2026-27 school year is attached for the Board's consideration, as well as the proposed calendar for the 2027-28 school year. 

Description:  A number of new courses are proposed for the 2026-27 school year. Information is attached. 

Description:  Theatre Production students competed Nov. 21 at the state festival at U.W. Stevens Point with their show, "The Sweet Science of Bruising."  Their performance took home top honors, including Critics' Choice, Outstanding Directing, Ensemble, and Technical Theater.  Outstanding acting awards went to Bayley Kester, Layla Raebel, Kylie Koszarek, Kate Fick, and Hannah Bruce. This makes WUHS one of the most decorated shows at this level.