Welcome to our Board Meeting Bulletin series, where we highlight key takeaways from each board meeting to keep our community informed and engaged with the latest developments in our school district.

Budget Adoption: The board approved the 2024-25 budget totaling $234,796,518 across all funds. Despite a $7.8 million decrease in state aid, the district anticipates a 2.6 cent decrease in the overall property tax levy. The General Fund will see a 2.6% increase, while the Bond Fund decreases by 14%. The Special Building Fund increases by 1.6%. Overall, the district's budget is increasing by only 1% across these three main funds, demonstrating fiscal responsibility while maintaining educational quality.

 

Multi-Tiered Systems of Behavioral Support: A comprehensive presentation outlined the district's proactive strategies for student behavior and mental health. The district implements Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in all schools, with teams trained to address mental health and trauma. Additional supports include expanded mental health services, de-escalation training, and the use of behavior coaches and registered behavior technicians. Data shows that only about 3.5% of students experienced out-of-school suspensions in the 2022-23 school year, remaining consistent with previous years.

 

Early Retirement Incentive Program: The board approved continuing the Temporary Early Retirement Incentive Program (TERIP) for the 2024-25 school year, authorizing up to 15 applications. Eligible certificated employees must have at least 15 years of service in the district and be between 55-65 years old by August 31, 2025. The program offers a $35,000 severance benefit to encourage early retirement, helping balance staff experience and manage budget constraints. Currently, 67 staff members are eligible for the program.

 

Option Enrollment Resolution: The board discussed a resolution to declare Ashbury Elementary and Prairie Queen Elementary as at capacity for the 2025-26 school year for option enrollment purposes. This helps manage school capacities while still allowing for exceptions such as sibling enrollment and staff benefits. The resolution also notes that the district will determine numeric capacities for grade levels, classes, or buildings at a later date. The district continues to see more interest in students opting in rather than opting out.

 

Parent/Guardian Survey Results: The 2024 parent/guardian survey received 2,529 responses. Key findings include 86% of families giving the district an A or B grade overall. Newsletters are the most popular information source across all grade levels. Areas for improvement include communication, student behavior/discipline, and employee retention. The district plans to use this data to set goals and develop action plans, including potentially implementing more frequent, targeted surveys throughout the year to gather timely and actionable feedback.

 

Superintendent's 2024-25 Performance Goals: Dr. Rikli presented five goals for the upcoming year: 1) Restart the district strategic planning process, 2) Develop communication and engagement strategies, 3) Implement enhanced curriculum, instruction, and technology priorities, 4) Expand staff recruitment, retention, and succession planning strategies, and 5) Implement plans for bond facility and safety projects. These goals will be formally approved at a future meeting and will be revisited at least twice during the school year as part of the superintendent's evaluation process.

 

These are just a few of the topics discussed during our recent board meeting. For full access to agendas and minutes, please visit our website. Broadcast recordings of the meetings are also available on our YouTube channel.