The School District of Milton met on Monday night. After a brief delay due to technical issues with the virtual format, the meeting was picked up with public comment.
The school board then received a presentation from the AVID students primarily about what AVID is. AVID is the Advancement Via Individual Determination and is designed to help students with high academic potential to get ready for college. It is a Nonprofit and focuses on a more equitable, student-centered approach. Students apply to be part of the program, and Milton’s AVID program is looking for potential first generation college students. The goal is an average class size, or 25 students. Eventually there will be 25 at each grade level from grades 7 to 12. Students have to maintain certain specifications to stay in the program.
After this, the board heard a presentation on Second Step, which is a universal curriculum for social-emotional learning. It addresses skills such as self-awareness, relationships and more. It provides students with plans to improve, and it works to create a learning environment that is both successful as well as supportive. The presenters shared a 10-minute video about Second Step. When asked about if Second Step is teaching about things such as race, the board was told that it was more about life skills. It was designed to be implemented by gen ed teachers to talk to students about friendship, and in the event students need coaching, it provides some ease for the counselors to deal with.
The board then went into committee meeting updates. The School District of Milton has a 2 year rate freeze for life insurance until 2022, which allows them to seek other bids during that rate freeze. The committee also discussed the frequency of payroll checks, and the committee is considering consistency among the distribution of them. This will continue with a future discussion.
The board then discussed the staff hiring for the Nutrition Team. There have been 10 hires but 5 current vacancies. A staffing agency has been reached out to, to aid the HR team in finding the employees. Because of the short staffed, other staff members have pitched in to help, this includes administration and district staff.
The board then heard the Extended Travel requests from the High School. Each trip has the appropriate number of chaperones planned and some trips have already started fundraising. Overseas trips have been delayed for obvious reasons. The destination’s COVID-19 restrictions are reviewed, a new layer to determine if the trip can continue, even with approval from the board. The same rules are required as in school. Masks are required except for eating and sleeping, and temperature checks will take place prior to getting on the bus. The board approved the requests.
The board also then heard Early Graduation requests, which takes place at the end of the second trimester. The students who were identified to the board would graduate in the first week of March. Students who decide to finish out the year regardless of graduating early are usually granted approval. The board approved.
The board also discussed the Early College application. These are students that are wishing to take courses at Blackhawk or through UWW-Rock County or the online system. Up to 18 college credits are given. The students who applied did so for the second half of the year.
The board then heard the Third Friday Count. The board tracked the number of students in the classroom as well as those for DPI purposes. There are 3425 students in the district, and is broken out by residents, nonresidents, and JEDI residents who are residents doing the online program. The Resident DPI count is actually the count used to determine funding. 3467 students were counted from preschool through 12th grade. This was a decrease of 80 students from last year. The less students, the less revenue. The board will look to mitigate that revenue decrease.
The Board then went into the 2021-22 Open Enrollment Alternative Applications. It was approved without discussion.
The next Board meeting will be the curriculum meeting on Wednesday at 9 AM, and there are plans for a Finance Committee meeting. The next scheduled Board meeting is on October 25 at 6:30 PM.
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