Loyal School Board Approves 2023-24 Budget and Tax Levy

Wednesday, November 1st, 2023 -- 11:00 AM

The Loyal School Board began their recent meeting by passing the 2023-24 budget.

After this approval, there was discussion on what the tax levy should be set at. The board approved to set the tax levy at $2,150,717, which puts the mill rate at 7.14. The board also approved the first reading of Policy EFE-R Notification and Collection Procedures for Lunch Accounts.

Following the audit of their Food Service Program, DPI reported to the district that they needed to update this policy and the policy needed to be more detailed/specific. A copy of this policy is on Board docs. Reminder that all staff are to have a lunch balance in the black and no negative lunch balance at any time.

They also heard several updates on building maintenance including:

• Baron Tree Trimming Service completed all tree removal and trimming;
• Exterior lighting, working on our parking lots on the westside and student parking lot, need a bucket truck to do these;
• Mike and Brad will be working on changing lights out on the exterior of the building;
• Gate is fixed and working;
• Greenhouse heater is ordered through Complete Control;
• Grate on manhole cover in the ES parking lot has been changed from a closed/solid unit to an open unit, so that it will allow overflow into the parking lot and not back up into the school building;
• Omni Paint and Glass will have an estimate on the window replacements;
• Concession stand, making sure they have it in the correct spot;
• Roofs, the roofs on the 3-car garage, Vater Hall, and Lions shelter all need to be replaced, looking at steel;
• Sidewalks, holding off for now;
• Boilers - #1, Complete Control switched the low water cutoff switch and it has 11 tubes that are leaking;
• #2 is up and running;
• Condensate tank needs to be replaced next year;
• Air handlers working with Trane to make sure that all are up and running efficiently;
• Gym unit is down working to replace the gas valve on it;
• Uni-vents are having control issues and Trane is working on this, many steam traps will need to be replaced because they are rotted out, Complete Control is aware and will be working on it;
• Brad will do a survey on steam traps, then Focus on Energy will put money towards replacing them.

The Board also heard an update on the After school program, with 10 – 15 students wanting to take part in the program. The plan is to begin on Monday, November 6th, running Monday through Thursday from 3:20 to 5:30 pm.

The Food Service will purchase a snack, to be reimbursed. There are several adults who are willing to help. Amy and Jenae will meet next week to set up for Monday, November 6th. The Board also approved maternity leave for Megan Haselow.

The Board also heard the Administrators’ Reports including from Middle/High School Principal Doug Dieckman. He reported, in the past 30 days:

• Data day meetings for grades 1-9 conducted;
• PT conferences for MS/HS completed (80+ contactsASVAB testing for Juniors on Thursday;
• Held October new staff meeting;
• Met with SOLES group and discussed how to expand this group to reach the MS and HS parents/students;
• Started term 1 staff observations;
• Continue to build PBIS programming and incentives;
• Guiding coalition work on leading indicators;
• Unity day at the school on Oct. 24;
• MSBB started their season;
• ARC instructional coaching session on site;
• Attended an ACT 20 (Literacy Bill) deep dive at CESA 10;
• And had first materials adoption workshop at CESA 10 with a group of ES staff.

For the next 30 days:

• They have ES P/T conferences Nov. 9 and 14 (3:30-7:00);
• End of first term Nov. 17;
• Veteran’s day program Friday, Nov. 10;
• Scholastic Book Fair week of Nov. 13;
• Personal Finance mock interviews on Nov. 16;
• National FFA conference Oct. 31-Nov. 3;
• Fall break for students Nov 20-25;
• One Act play sectional in Eau Claire on Oct. 31;
• One Act performance in Greenwood on Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m;
• State One Act Play on Nov. 17;
• Finalize staff observations for first term;
• Working with a group of staff on an update to GIT and Activity period;
• And Oct. 30 - Materials adoption workshop day 2.

Assistant Principal Jeff Bell reported:

• PBIS team has started the year building our school wide behavior expectations matrix;
• Elementary students walked around the different areas of the building to go over expectations with Mr. Dieckman and Mr. Bell;
• Got on a bus and went over expectations when riding a bus;
• Middle school students developed skits on each area of the matrix and did an excellent job when presenting;
• High school students are finishing videos for a competition related to the behavior matrix;
• Starting last week, the PBIS team started the “Dog Tag” incentives K-12, when students are “caught” following the expectations they may receive a “Dog Tag” that can be turned in to the office for a chance to win different rewards, have had a lot of excitement for this start up and it has been a wonderful way to give students recognition for doing the right things.

District Administrator Chris Lindner reported:

• At Wisconsin Association of School Board’s Region 5 meeting, Tom Odeen was recognized for achieving Level 4 status as a School Board member;
• Also at the same Region 5 meeting, Carrie Becker was recognized for achieving a Level 2 Status as a School Board Member;
• Joint Board Retreat – Meeting on Wednesday, November 8th from 7 – 9 pm at the Greenwood Cafetorium;
• To every board member – What are your goals/views for the future of our schools? Please reflect on: Academics, Athletics/Co-curriculars, Building and Grounds. Who is going to the state school board convention?
• Bomb scare – Investigation is on-going. Followed protocol with the assistance from Loyal PD, Clark County Sheriffs Dept, and the Wood County K9 unit. Drug dog went through the MS/HS building;
• Also, a presentation of the 2023 – 24 Fall FastBridge Benchmark Data was presented by Pam Smith and Heidi-Beth Lind.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.