8/26/25 GBAPS School Board Meeting
General Items
The meeting came back from the scheduled private session on time with all board members present. The public forum did not have any individuals looking to speak. There was no legislative update as they are currently out of session. The consent agenda was approved with all voting in favor of the motion.
7A: Strategic Plan Update to Five-Year Term
The strategic plan term is to be amended to end in October of 2030 rather than June of 2030 to better match the start of the school year. The motion was made by Lynn Gerlach and seconded by Alex Mineau. All approved the motion.
7B: Head Start Program Guidelines and Operational Procedures Handbook & Policy Council Bylaws
The Board is reviewing the updated handbook that guides how the district’s Head Start preschool program operates for the 2025-2026 school year. Most changes are routine updates, for example, rolling the document forward to the new school year and making any needed tweaks to reflect current practices or federal requirements. This could include updated selection criteria for enrolling students or slight adjustments to program operations to meet the latest Head Start Performance Standards. The goal is to ensure the Head Start program’s procedures are up-to-date, compliant with federal guidelines, and clear to staff and families. The Board is also approving the revised bylaws for the Head Start Policy Council (the governing group of parents and community members that partner with the Board in overseeing the Head Start program). Changes in the bylaws are generally minimal and annual in nature. For instance: updating dates, membership terms, or meeting procedures to align with the new school year. This ensures the Policy Council’s rules are current and that parent representatives know how the council operates. Both the program guidelines and the bylaws need yearly approval under Head Start rules, confirming that the district and Policy Council agree on how the program will run and that all requirements (governance, operations, family engagement, etc.) are met. The motion was made by Lynn Gerlach and seconded by Alex Mineau. All voted to approve the motion as presented.
7C: 2025 Employee Handbook Revisions
The district’s Employee Handbook, which outlines working conditions, benefits, and policies for staff, has been reviewed, and the revised 2025 edition is being proposed. The administration updated sections of the handbook to reflect new laws, policy updates, and clarifications for the upcoming year. Typical updates might include: clarifying leave policies, updating nondiscrimination and harassment policy language, adjusting benefits or holiday schedules, and incorporating any new state or federal mandates affecting school employees. The handbook is revised to stay compliant with current laws and best practices and to address any issues that came up in the past year. These changes help protect both employees and the district by clearly outlining expectations and rights going into the new school year. There were two changes since the last work session: personal leave language and weather-related closings. An amendment was made by Andrew Becker to remove number 5, internal applicants, from being updated at this time. After those changes, the motion carried with Alex Mineau voting no.
7D: Job Description Revisions
Changes to the Food Service Program Assistant job description have removed the requirement in Microsoft Office, proficiency in word processing and spreadsheets, organizational and customer service skills, Food Service Sanitation Certification, and a valid driver's license. District-sponsored ServSafe certification and the ability to maintain throughout employment have been added, along with changing the experience to specifically be in "K-12" food service. Read the whole document with the button below. The motion was made by Jeanette Knill and seconded by Lynn Gerlach. All board members voted in favor of the job description changes.
Food Service Program Assistant
7E: Energy Savings Performance Contract with McKinstry
The Board is considering a proposal to enter into an Energy Savings Performance Contract with McKinstry Essention, LLC, an energy services company. Under this plan, McKinstry would undertake various projects to improve energy efficiency in school district buildings. The contract includes upgrading HVAC systems, lighting, insulation, and other infrastructure to reduce energy consumption. The performance contract model means the upfront costs of these improvements would be paid back over time from the energy cost savings they generate. Typically, the company guarantees a certain amount of energy savings, so the project should effectively pay for itself through lower utility bills. The district’s memo explains that this contract is a strategy to modernize aging building systems and cut operating costs without needing a large immediate budget outlay. School districts often use performance contracts as a budget-friendly way to fund energy improvements. The motion was made by Jeanette Knill and seconded by Alex Mineau. All board members voted in favor of the contract.
7F: 2024-25 Budget Transfers
As the 2024-2025 fiscal year closed on June 30, the district’s finance team has reviewed the budget versus actual spending in each category. They are proposing some budget transfers, moving budgeted funds from accounts that had a surplus to those that had a shortfall, to ensure that each category is balanced for the year-end. The motion was made by Jeanette Knill and seconded by Alex Mineau. All board members voted in favor of the changes.
7G: Revisions to Board of Education Policies, Rules, and Exhibits in the 100 Series of Policies
These policies cover the Board of Education’s own mission, elections, officer roles, and how it makes and suspends policies and conducts meetings. Clarification of school board elections and the responsibilities of the clerk. There were changes to the implementation of policies from the school board. A closer review of those changes can be found in the link directly below. The motion was made by Samantha Meister and seconded by Andrew Becker.
7H: Repeal of Board of Education Policies, Rules, and Exhibits in the 100 Series of Policies
These policy changes revolve around the adoption, revision, maintenance, and dissemination of board policy. The district has developed a web-based platform for developing policies. Because of these changes, the policy has been revised to reflect the changes. The motion was made by Smantha Meister and seconded by Andrew Becker. The motion carried with all board members voting in favor.
7I: Discussion and Potential Revisions to or Repeal of Board of Education Rule 170
Motion was tabled to remove the procedures for appointing school board members to preside over work session meetings. Andrew Becker made the motion to table a potential vote, with Alex Mineau seconding the motion. The motion carried, with Laura McCoy voting no.
7J: Summer School Policy Update
Policy 351 governs the district’s Summer School programs. The Board is considering revisions to this policy to better reflect how summer programs are offered and any new guidelines from the state. The goal is to ensure the policy matches the district’s current practice and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) regulations for summer school. DPI periodically updates rules on which summer courses are aidable and what requirements must be met (for instance, teacher certification, curricular standards, etc.). By revising the policy, the district can incorporate any recent changes. The motion was made by Samantha Meister and seconded by Andrew Becker. The motion carried with all board members voting in favor.
7K: Employee Whistleblower Protections
This policy protects district employees who report wrongdoing. It prohibits retaliation against staff who, in good faith, call out issues like fraud, violation of laws, safety issues, or other misconduct within the district. The Board is updating this policy to reinforce and clarify those protections. Some specific details have been added, including: the misuse of federal funds, unlawful harassment, dangers to public health or safety, and violations of safety and health standards. The motion was made by Samantha Meister and seconded by Andrew Becker. The motion carried with all board members voting in favor.
7L: Fraud Prevention and Reporting
This policy outlines the district’s stance and procedures on preventing fraud and handling any suspected fraudulent activity. It covers things like internal controls, employee responsibilities to be honest, and how to report any fraud or theft. They have added a new definition of "Credible Evidence Standard" which is: "A determination that credible evidence exists can generally be made based on a preliminary examination of the available evidence and before the conclusion of any formal/extensive investigation. A determination that credible evidence exists and any required disclosures shall not be delayed solely because a formal internal investigation has not reached its conclusion." The motion was made by Samantha Meister and seconded by Alex Mineau. The motion carried with all board members voting in favor.
7M: Procurement and Purchasing
This policy governs how the district purchases goods and services, everything from classroom supplies to construction contracts. The Board is revising this policy to reflect updated purchasing rules. Definitions for Equipment and Qualified Sources have been added. See all additional changes in the document linked directly below. The motion was made by Samantha Meister and seconded by Alex Mineau. The motion carried with all board members voting in favor.
7N: Procurement Requirements and Methods
Alongside Policy 672, the district has a more detailed administrative rule that spells out the exact procedures for procurement. The board is updating this rule to align with the policy changes in 672. A few examples of gendered language have been removed. The motion was made by Manantha Meister and seconded by Lynn Garlach. The motion carried with all board members voting in favor.
7O: Food Service Management
This policy oversees the district’s school meals program. It covers compliance with nutrition standards, finance of the food service program, and possibly meal charge policies. The Board is updating Policy 760 to keep it current with practices and regulations. It has added the ability for student complaints stemming from discrimination against the district's protected classes. Motion made by Samantha Meister and seconded by Lynn Garlach. The motion carried with all board members voting in favor.
7P: Accommodations and Modifications in School Food Service Programs
This rule provides the detailed procedures for accommodating students’ dietary needs and making meal modifications in the school nutrition program. Motion made by Samantha Meister and seconded by Lynn Gerlach. The motion carried with all board members voting in favor.