March 6, 2025 at 4:30 PM - Human Resources Committee Meeting.

Description:  The state has set the CPI for 2.95% for the 25.26 school year, starting on July 1, 2025.  

Potential wage increase timeline:
March / April - Review draft wage increase plan by the HR Committee
April / May - Approve wage increases for Admin, Admin Support, Hourly Staff - Board action
Negotiation Dependent* - Approve wage increases for teachers.  The WTA has informally expressed an interest in starting in April.
July - New wages take effect for staff

Per the Fall 2024 Operational Referendum, the community supported $1 million in funds over the 25/26 and 26/27 to increase all hourly staff to the Dane County peer average hourly wages.  Planning documents will demonstrate the associated actions for the 25/26 wage increases, including the referendum-based increases.

Description:  The district insurance committee involving staff, district administration and Board members Joan Ensign and Mark Hetzel have been meeting during this school year to prepare for the 25.26 plan year.

The committee has reviewed district and peer plan structures, feedback from staff and committee members, district budget forecasts, advice from USI, the district's benefit advisor and sent a Request For Information to different carriers.

Timeline of remaining activities:

March - Committee creates a recommended provider / plan and rate structure to work with district budget forecasts.
April - Board reviews recommended plan / rate structure; Board vote
Mid April to Mid May - Employee communication / education
Mid April / May - Open Enrollment

Description:  All regular staff (665 individuals) were invited to complete a comprehensive climate survey in October/November focused on their employment at WCSD.  477 (72%) employees responded. 

District administration discussed the survey results in December/ January and buildings started reviewing their specific data with staff to create action plans together in January. Building level followup with administration in May is part of the action plan. 

Description:  Administrative discussion of a replacement evaluation system for Cabinet members that aren't contained within the Educator Effectiveness model started in the previous school year.  Dr. Brown's familiarity with the CESA 6-supported COPES instrument facilitated further investigation and an administrative decision to pilot the model in the 25/26 school year.  

The primary purpose of COPES 2.0 is to provide a collaborative process that allows the administrator and evaluator to give and receive feedback that results in the promotion of self-growth and continuous improvement specially aligned to the central office administrator’s role.

This model would replace the current narrative-based evaluation document in use since the early 2000's.