DeForest Area School District Board of Education Regular Meeting
Monday, April 13, 2026
Board Room - DeForest Area School District, District Office, 500 S. Cleveland Avenue, DeForest, WI 53532
6:00 pm
This meeting is a meeting of the Board of Education in public for the purpose of conducting the School District’s business and is not to be considered a public community meeting. There is a time for public comment during the meeting as indicated on the agenda. Public Comment is limited to three minutes.
Per Board Procedure, BP-5 Recording and Streaming of Board of Education Meetings, the Board of Education will live stream and record Regular Board of Education meetings where Board action is likely to be taken. Board meetings can be viewed on the DASD YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@DASDBoardMeetings. Recordings of meetings will be posted on the District website.
If you need an interpreter, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations to access this meeting, please contact the DeForest Area School District at (608) 842-6582. Please do so one week before the meeting so that arrangements can be made in a timely fashion.
1. Announcement
In accordance with Board Procedure, BP-5, this meeting will be live streamed and recorded, and can be viewed on the DASD YouTube channel.
School District
Results Monitoring
R-2 ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE - LITERACY
SUMMARY OF REASONABLE PROGRESS
Presented and approved: November 24, 2024
| Each student will be literate and numerate, able to integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies acquired across all academic disciplines. |
Superintendent Interpretation:
The Board values students having the ability to comprehend, reason with and express critical textual, numerical, and symbolic information. Being able to integrate and apply means having the ability to use what a student learned in new or different contexts. The Board believes that a child’s ability to read and do mathematics are essential skills for academic success in all other subject areas.
|
R-2.1 Students will achieve at individually and appropriately challenging levels of complexity, based on the following disciplines:
|
|
Interpretation:
The Board values the interdependent relationship between literacy, numeracy, and content knowledge as a foundation for student success within these content areas. Literacy is being presented in one report. Numeracy and content knowledge will be presented in another report.
Critical terms:
Assessment
- Formative assessments, also called assessments for learning, are given during the learning process and provide feedback to students, teachers, and parents that enables students and teachers to make adjustments in teaching and learning to better meet intended learning goals.
- Summative assessments, also called assessments of learning, are given after instruction and during which students have had a reasonable amount of time to practice and study the knowledge and skills being assessed.
- Interim and benchmark assessments are taken by students periodically to indicate progress throughout the school year. Students who are below grade level in a certain content area may take more frequent interim assessments than students at or above grade level.
Forward - The Wisconsin state assessment is designed to gauge how well students are doing in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards. These standards outline what students should know and be able to do in order to be college and career ready. The Forward Exam is administered online in the spring of each school year 3-8th grade Literacy and Math, fourth & eighth grade Social Studies and Science, 10th grade Social Studies.
ACT - The college readiness assessment is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions.
| State or Federally Mandated Assessments | District Assessments |
| Forward | Classroom Assessments |
| ACT |
| Student Subgroups (**Please NOTE: Less than 6 students in a subgroup will not be reported due to potentially identifiable information) | |
| Economically Disadvantaged | American Indian/Alaskan Native |
| Special Education | Asian |
| English Language Learners (ELL) | Black/African American |
| Hispanic | 2 or more races |
| White | Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
| Literacy Indicator 1: The district percentage of students who meet or exceed the benchmark of proficiency in literacy for Grades 3, 6, and 8 will exceed the state percentage of students who meet or exceed the benchmark of proficiency on the state standardized test for all students. | |
|
Baseline: The table shows that in the Spring of 2024, 9.2% of third graders, 4.7% of sixth graders, and 1.4% of eighth graders in DASD were above the State average in English Language Arts (ELA) on the Wisconsin Forward Exam. Evidence: The table shows that in the Spring of 2025, in grades 3, 6, and 8, DASD students who were meeting or exceeding in English Language Arts (ELA) on the state standardized test of Forward exceeded the state percentage of students who were meeting or exceeding the benchmark of proficiency. DASD was above the state percentage in third grade by 10.5%, in sixth grade by 13.7%, and in eighth grade by 5.8%. |
|
ELA |
2024 % Meeting/Adv ELA |
ELA |
2025 % Meeting/Adv ELA |
|||
|
DASD |
State |
DASD |
State |
|||
| 3rd Grade |
61.1% |
51.9% |
3rd Grade |
61.7% |
51.2% |
|
| 6th Grade |
58.6% |
53.9% |
6th Grade |
66.2% |
52.5% |
|
| 8th Grade |
51.1% |
49.7% |
8th Grade |
57.9% |
52.1% |
|
| Literacy Indicator 2: The district percentage of students who meet or exceed the benchmark of proficiency in literacy for Grades 3, 6, and 8 will exceed the state percentage of students who meet or exceed the benchmark of proficiency on the state standardized test for all subgroups. | |
|
Baseline: In the Spring of 2024, students who are not economically disadvantaged scored below the state average in ELA on the WI Forward exam in all three grade levels. Students who identify as black scored below the state average in ELA on the WI Forward exam in third and sixth grade. There were not enough students who identify as black in eighth grade to report data. Students who are economically disadvantaged, who do not have a disability, and who are multilingual scored above the state average in ELA on the WI Forward exam in all three grade levels. Evidence: In the Spring of 2025, students who are English Language Learners scored below the state average in ELA on the WI forward exam in all three grade levels. Students who are not economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, and students who are white scored below the state average in ELA on the WI Forward exam in eighth grade. |
|
2024 % Meeting/Adv ELA |
2025 % Meeting/Adv ELA |
|||||||||||
|
DASD |
State |
DASD |
State |
|||||||||
|
3rd Grade |
Economically Disadvantaged |
42.6% |
34.8% |
3rd Grade |
Economically Disadvantaged |
40.6% |
32.7% |
|||||
| Not Economically Disadvantaged |
65.2% |
65.6% |
Not Economically Disadvantaged |
67.3% |
65.8% |
|||||||
| Students with Disabilities |
27.1% |
19.4% |
Students with Disabilities |
27.8% |
21.4% |
|||||||
| Students without Disabilities |
67.7% |
58.3% |
Students without Disabilities |
65.9% |
57.5% |
|||||||
| English Language Learners (ELL) |
33.3% |
20.1% |
English Language Learners (ELL) |
5.9% |
20.6% |
|||||||
| Non ELL |
61.9% |
54.7% |
Non ELL |
64.7% |
54.3% |
|||||||
| Hispanic |
30.0% |
32.2% |
Hispanic |
43.3% |
32.1% |
|||||||
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
|||||||
| American Indian/Alaskan Native |
- |
- |
American Indian/Alaskan Native |
- |
- |
|||||||
| Asian |
- |
- |
Asian |
- |
- |
|||||||
| Black/African American |
16.7% |
17.6% |
Black/African American |
- |
- |
|||||||
| 2 or more races |
35.7% |
50.3% |
2 or more races |
58.1% |
46.3% |
|||||||
| White |
66.7% |
61.0% |
White |
65.6% |
61.5% |
|||||||
|
6th Grade |
Economically Disadvantaged |
38.7% |
36.3% |
6th Grade |
Economically Disadvantaged |
47.8% |
32.7% |
|||||
| Not Economically Disadvantaged |
63.9% |
66.9% |
Not Economically Disadvantaged |
70.8% |
67.0% |
|||||||
| Students with Disabilities |
9.4% |
16.7% |
Students with Disabilities |
25.0% |
16.3% |
|||||||
| Students without Disabilities |
65.4% |
60.1% |
Students without Disabilities |
73.1% |
59.1% |
|||||||
| English Language Learners (ELL) |
20.0% |
10.5% |
English Language Learners (ELL) |
6.7% |
8.2% |
|||||||
| Non ELL |
60.0% |
56.9% |
Non ELL |
69.0% |
55.6% |
|||||||
| Hispanic |
42.1% |
34.0% |
Hispanic |
50.0% |
33.3% |
|||||||
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
|||||||
| American Indian/Alaskan Native |
- |
- |
American Indian/Alaskan Native |
- |
- |
|||||||
| Asian |
75.0% |
52.1% |
Asian |
- |
- |
|||||||
| Black/African American |
0.0% |
19.0% |
Black/African American |
- |
- |
|||||||
| 2 or more races |
64.7% |
48.6% |
2 or more races |
56.0% |
46.8% |
|||||||
| White |
60.7% |
62.5% |
White |
70.9% |
62.2% |
|||||||
|
8th Grade |
Economically Disadvantaged |
34.7% |
32.5% |
8th Grade |
Economically Disadvantaged |
35.2% |
33.6% |
|||||
| Not Economically Disadvantaged |
54.7% |
61.8% |
Not Economically Disadvantaged |
63.0% |
65.0% |
|||||||
| Students with Disabilities |
12.5% |
12.0% |
Students with Disabilities |
12.8% |
14.1% |
|||||||
| Students without Disabilities |
58.0% |
55.6% |
Students without Disabilities |
64.8% |
58.3% |
|||||||
| English Language Learners (ELL) |
14.3% |
10.4% |
English Language Learners (ELL) |
9.1% |
12.0% |
|||||||
| Non ELL |
52.1% |
52.4% |
Non ELL |
59.8% |
55.2% |
|||||||
| Hispanic |
28.6% |
33.2% |
Hispanic |
43.5% |
34.5% |
|||||||
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
|||||||
| American Indian/Alaskan Native |
- |
- |
American Indian/Alaskan Native |
- |
- |
|||||||
| Asian |
40.0% |
50.7% |
Asian |
60.0% |
54.0% |
|||||||
| Black/African American |
- |
- |
Black/African American |
- |
- |
|||||||
| 2 or more races |
28.6% |
45.6% |
2 or more races |
57.1% |
45.9% |
|||||||
| White |
56.1% |
57.1% |
White |
60.1% |
60.7% |
|||||||
| Literacy Indicator 3: The district average scores in reading and writing from the ACT for Grade 11 will exceed the statewide average composite scores in reading and writing for all students. |
|
Baseline: In the Spring of 2024, the district average scores in Reading exceeded the state average on the ACT and scored the same as the state average on the Writing portion of the ACT. Evidence: In the Spring of 2025, the district average scores in Reading exceeded the state average on the ACT by 0.8 and scored below the state average on the Writing portion of the ACT by 0.1. |
|
ACT |
2024 Composite Score |
2025 Composite Score |
||
|
DASD |
State |
DASD |
State |
|
|
Reading |
21.1 |
19.5 |
20.2 |
19.4 |
|
Writing |
6.4 |
6.4 |
6.4 |
6.5 |
| Literacy Indicator 4: The district average scores in reading and writing from the ACT for Grade 11 will exceed the statewide average composite scores in reading and writing for all subgroups. | |
|
Baseline: In the Spring of 2024, all DASD students scored the same or higher than the state average on the Reading portion of the ACT with the exception of students who are Asian. DASD students had 4 subgroups score above the state average while 5 subgroups score below the state average, and 2 subgroups were at the state average on the Writing portion of the ACT. Evidence: In the Spring of 2025, all DASD students scored the same or higher than the state average on the Reading portion of the ACT with the exception of students who are English Language Learners or identify as Asian or Two or more races. DASD students had 2 subgroups score above the state average while 8 subgroups score below the state average on the Writing portion of the ACT. |
|
ACT |
2024 Composite Score |
2025 Composite Score |
|||||
|
DASD |
State |
DASD |
State |
||||
|
Reading |
Economically Disadvantaged |
19.7 |
17.0 |
17.0 |
16.8 |
||
| Not Economically Disadvantaged |
21.4 |
20.9 |
20.9 |
20.8 |
|||
| Students with Disabilities |
16.1 |
14.8 |
16.0 |
14.6 |
|||
| Students without Disabilities |
21.6 |
20.0 |
20.6 |
19.9 |
|||
| English Language Learners (ELL) |
17.4 |
13.6 |
12.0 |
13.3 |
|||
| Non ELL |
21.2 |
19.8 |
20.4 |
19.7 |
|||
| Hispanic |
21.1 |
16.9 |
18.2 |
16.7 |
|||
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|||
| American Indian/Alaskan Native |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|||
| Asian |
19.0 |
19.5 |
14.9 |
19.4 |
|||
| Black/African American |
17.0 |
15.1 |
16.3 |
14.9 |
|||
| Two or More Races |
19.1 |
19.1 |
18.3 |
19.2 |
|||
| White |
21.6 |
20.4 |
21.0 |
20.4 |
|||
|
Writing |
Economically Disadvantaged |
5.8 |
5.7 |
5.4 |
5.8 |
||
| Not Economically Disadvantaged |
6.5 |
6.7 |
6.7 |
6.9 |
|||
| Students with Disabilities |
4.0 |
4.2 |
4.7 |
4.4 |
|||
| Students without Disabilities |
6.6 |
6.6 |
6.6 |
6.7 |
|||
| English Language Learners (ELL) |
5.2 |
4.7 |
5.2 |
4.8 |
|||
| Non ELL |
6.4 |
6.5 |
6.4 |
6.6 |
|||
| Hispanic |
6.3 |
5.8 |
5.7 |
5.9 |
|||
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|||
| American Indian/Alaskan Native |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|||
| Asian |
5.3 |
6.7 |
- |
- |
|||
| Black/African American |
5.7 |
5.1 |
4.7 |
5.2 |
|||
| Two or More Races |
6.2 |
6.2 |
5.4 |
6.4 |
|||
| White |
6.5 |
6.6 |
6.6 |
6.8 |
|||
| Literacy Indicator 5: The percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on the state standardized test of Forward in Reading will maintain or increase from the previous year in grades 3-8. | |
|
Baseline: In DASD, there was a decrease in the percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on the state standardized test of Forward in Reading from the previous year at three grade levels and an increase or maintaining in the percentage of students who are meeting or advanced on the state standardized test of Forward in Reading at two grade levels. Evidence: We are establishing baseline data this year. (See Appendix A for Statewide cohort data) |
|
Forward 24 |
Forward 25 |
Difference |
|
|
Grade 3 |
|||
| Class of 2034 |
56.9% |
||
|
Grade 3 |
Grade 4 |
||
| Class of 2033 |
58.9% |
51.7% |
-7.2% |
|
Grade 4 |
Grade 5 |
||
| Class of 2032 |
60.6% |
62.0% |
1.4% |
|
Grade 5 |
Grade 6 |
||
| Class of 2031 |
68.3% |
68.3% |
-- |
|
Grade 6 |
Grade 7 |
||
| Class of 2030 |
61.7% |
57.5% |
-4.2% |
|
Grade 7 |
Grade 8 |
||
| Class of 2029 |
56.3% |
55.2% |
-1.1% |
| Literacy Indicator 6: The percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on PreACT Secure and ACT Reading will maintain or increase from the previous year in grades 9-11. | |
|
Baseline: In DASD, the percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on PreACT Secure and ACT Reading increased in one cohort and decreased in another cohort from the previous year. Evidence: We are establishing baseline data this year. (See Appendix B for Statewide cohort data) |
|
ACT/PreACT Secure 24 |
ACT/PreACT Secure 25 |
Difference |
|
|
Grade 9 |
|||
| Class of 2028 |
60.9% |
||
|
Grade 9 |
Grade 10 |
||
| Class of 2027 |
54.1% |
46.7% |
-7.4% |
|
Grade 10 |
Grade 11 |
||
| Class of 2026 |
50.0% |
51.7% |
1.7% |
Analysis Summary (Here’s what the data has told us):
Strengths:
- In grades 3, 6, and 8, DASD students who were meeting or exceeding in English Language Arts (ELA) on the state standardized test of Forward exceeded the state percentage of students who were meeting or exceeding the benchmark of proficiency. DASD was above the state percentage in third grade by 10.5%, in sixth grade by 13.7%, and in eighth grade by 5.8%.
- Students in grade 11 exceeded the state average on the ACT Reading by 0.8.
- There was an increase or a maintenance in the percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on the state standardized test of Forward in Reading for the class of 2031 and 2032.
- The percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on PreACT Secure and ACT Reading increased in one cohort from the previous year.
Areas for Growth:
- In the Spring of 2025, students who are English Language Learners scored below the state average in ELA on the WI forward exam in all three grade levels. Students who are not economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, and students who are white scored below the state average in ELA on the WI Forward exam in eighth grade.
- Students in grade 11 fell below the state average on the writing portion of the ACT by 0.1.
- On the writing portion of the ACT, DASD students had eight subgroups score below the state average.
- There was a decrease in the percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on the state standardized test of Forward in Reading at three grade levels.
- The percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on PreACT Secure and ACT Reading decreased in one cohort from the previous year.
Action Plan:
- 4K has implemented Amplify CKLA (Core Knowledge Language Arts) during the 2025-26 school year. They have received training and meet monthly to collaborate throughout the school year.
- The multilingual department spent time collaborating and learning with Amplify about Language Studio and how best to support our students who are multilingual.
- 100% of our K-3 staff members have participated in Orton-Gillingham training, a multi-sensory approach to teaching reading, phonics, and phonemic awareness. This training is required for all K-3 special education teachers, classroom teachers, and multilingual teachers through ACT 20. K-8 has 85% of all staff who support literacy instruction who have completed this training.
- We are continuing to review the current Multi-Level Systems of Support (MLSS) to ensure compliance with Act 20 and consistency between all schools on identification, progress monitoring, and communication in supporting students who need intervention.
- Using the Teaching and Learning Framework, specifically the Super Six Instructional Practices which is a part of the Framework, to prioritize and focus support and professional development for leaders and all staff in order to strengthen and support strong tier 1 instruction K-12.
- The district is utilizing Fastbridge as a K-12 progress monitoring tool to accurately and consistently measure progress for students receiving a literacy intervention.
- We are offering learning to all K-12 staff on teacher clarity and success criteria led by the district's instructional coaches. Teacher Clarity and Success Criteria are identified as practices having a high impact on student achievement from John Hattie’s research based strategies on visible learning. This learning is happening during coaching cycles, professional learning communities (PLCs) and through structured learning times.
- We continue to utilize Instructional Support Teachers to provide intervention for K-6 students and added a position at the middle school.
- We provided YES WE CAN! co-design/co-teaching training during summer of 2025 to more than 85 staff. We continue to target co-design partnerships between general education teachers and special education teachers through mindful scheduling to design instruction and scaffolds to ensure all learners have access to general education instruction. In addition, each month all case managers are coming together to continue to learn best practices and strategies to strengthen co-design practices and partnerships.
- Continue data literacy with Eric Larsen and teacher leadership teams (including the building Leadership team) to implement PreACT, ACT, PreACT Secure, and Forward practices that include understanding the key skills and standards that impact universal instruction in all content areas.
- Continued implementation of the Writing Center (supervised by ELA teachers) during Flex times at the high school to assist students who need support with writing across content areas.
- 6-12 teachers are using Quill, a research-based literacy program focused on the conventions of language and writing, to support students with grammar instruction.
- There are two new intervention classes at the high school to support 9th and 10th grade students: Geometry/English 10 Workshop and Guided Study.
- With the new schedule at the middle school, students who receive intervention have it as a part of their daily schedule. This has improved intervention delivery fidelity and allowed for more targeted support and instruction.
- We continue to partner with the Greater Madison Writing Project to provide professional development to support writing instruction and the use of Artificial Intelligence.
Capacity Building:
- Continue support for professional development and collaboration on MLSS systems.
- Continue support of the Instructional Coach positions.
- Continue support of the Multilingual program.
- Continue support of the partnership with the Greater Madison Writing Project.
- Continue support of the assessment budget to support work with Eric Larsen.
- Maintain and increase staff to support intervention.
- Support structure for one-to-one assessments at the K-1 level.
- Continue support of professional development of the co-design model with regular education teachers and special education or multilingual teachers.
- Continue to prioritize low caseload ratios for Special Education teachers to allow capacity for co-design.
Appendix A: WI Forward State-wide Cohort Data (Reading)
|
Forward 24 |
Forward 25 |
Difference |
|
|
Grade 3 |
|||
| Class of 2034 |
50.3% |
||
|
Grade 3 |
Grade 4 |
||
| Class of 2033 |
50.6% |
50.9% |
0.3% |
|
Grade 4 |
Grade 5 |
||
| Class of 2032 |
52.0% |
50.2% |
-1.8% |
|
Grade 5 |
Grade 6 |
||
| Class of 2031 |
53.2% |
52.5% |
-0.5% |
|
Grade 6 |
Grade 7 |
||
| Class of 2030 |
52.2% |
51.7% |
-0.5% |
|
Grade 7 |
Grade 8 |
||
| Class of 2029 |
49.4% |
52.2% |
2.8% |
Appendix B: Pre-ACT Secure/ACT State-wide Cohort Data
|
ACT/PreACT Secure 24 |
ACT/PreACT Secure 25 |
Difference |
|
|
Grade 9 |
|||
| Class of 2028 |
49.5% |
||
|
Grade 9 |
Grade 10 |
||
| Class of 2027 |
48.6% |
43.6% |
-5.0% |
|
Grade 10 |
Grade 11 |
||
| Class of 2026 |
43.4% |
46.1% |
2.7% |
2. Convene GC-1
A. Call to Order, Meeting Notice and Roll Call
B. Pledge of Allegiance
C. Mission, Vision, and Equity Statement
3. Approve Agenda
A. Approve Agenda
4. Announcements by the Chair
Announcement: The Board of Education may convene into closed session under Wis. Stats. Section 19.85(1) (c) and (f) to consider employment or performance evaluation data of certain public employees over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility and to consider financial, social, or personal histories of specific persons which, if discussed in public, would be likely to have a substantial adverse effect upon the reputation of any person referred to in such histories or data (consider administrative employee performance and employment) and under Section 19.85 (1)(e), Wisconsin Statutes, for the purpose of discussing, strategizing and deliberating a proposed amendment to the contract for sale of the Holum Education Center property; closed session discussion is necessary to preserve negotiation and bargaining positions and flexibility.
5. Recognition of Kohl Award Winner
Recognition of Kohl Award Winner - Matt Scharpf, High School Social Studies Teacher
6. Board Education OE-5, OE-7
Presentation on District Food Service program
Foodservice Update
Presenter: Becky Terry, RDN, MBA
Title: Foodservice Supervisor
Date: April 2026
Elementary
Theme days, Try It Days, birthday celebrations, new menu items, and ParentSquare communication.
| School | Breakfasts per Day | Lunches per Day | Lunch Participation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Point | 68 | 202 | 55% |
| Windsor | 77 | 301 | 58% |
| Yahara | 46 | 187 | 57% |
Harvest
- Theme days
- Baking
- Hydroponics
- Student involvement and surveys
- New menu items and combinations
- Interns
Daily participation: 137 breakfasts and 538 lunches per day (58%).
DAMS
Theme days: Ramen Day, Walking Taco
Student involvement: tours and surveys
New menu items and combinations: Drumstick with mac and cheese, homemade grilled cheese, soup, salad bar, staff salads, and school store collaboration.
Daily participation: 38 breakfasts per day and 247 lunches per day (39%).
DAHS
- Breakfast: 81 per day
- Lunch: 360 per day (31%)
- A la carte: $2,175 per day
- More variety, including hot sandwiches
- Special days: Homecoming cookout and senior theme day
- Student surveys and a la carte deals
2025-2026 Foodservice Statistics
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Donations | $17,264 |
| A la carte daily purchases | $2,391 per day |
| Breakfast participation | 442 per day (14%) |
| Free and reduced rate | 17.7% |
| Lunch participation | 1,836 per day (46%) |
| Open shifts to fill / staffing | 50 per month |
Benchmarks
| School Year | Daily Breakfasts | Daily Lunches | Daily A la Carte | Budget February YTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 | 462 | 1,832 | $2,071.35 | -$190,033 |
| 2025-2026 February YTD | 442 | 1,836 | $2,390.56 | -$150,305 |
Future Plans
1. Food Cost and Menus; Meal and A la Carte Pricing
- Raise breakfast, lunch, milk, and a la carte prices
- Assess individual food costs more closely
- Review summer delivery program
- Align with WiSNP Co-op order guide
- Monitor federal reimbursement
2. Participation Focus
- Keep elementary and intermediate theme days and special events as they are
- Focus on middle school and high school participation
- Use focus groups
- Review meal flow, time, and variety
3. Staffing Allocations
- Analyze meal counts and staffing meal/labor hours
- Allocate staff accordingly
Questions?
7. Board Business & possible Board action R-4, OE-5
A. Presentation and possible approval of Board Policy R-4 Collaborative and Responsible Citizens Monitoring Report
DeForest Area School District – Results Monitoring
R-4 Collaborative and Responsible Citizens
Summary of Reasonable Progress
Date: April 14, 2025
Date Approved by the Board: April 14, 2025
Interpretations & indicators accepted by DASD Board of Education on September 11, 2017. Revised – November 12, 2018; July 22, 2024.
Superintendent Certification
With respect to Results Policy R-4, Collaborative and Responsible Citizens, the Superintendent certifies that the following information is accurate and complete, and that the District is:
- _______ Making reasonable progress toward achieving the desired results
- ___X___ Making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted
- _______ Failing to make reasonable progress
Superintendent Summary Statement:
This report monitors Results Policy R-4, Collaborative and Responsible Citizens. The results of this report reflect the district is "making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted". All groups met or exceeded the 3.0 expectation on the student engagement survey. There was an improved alignment in implementation at the middle and high school with social emotional learning (SEL) feedback rubrics over the last two years. Now more effort needs to be focused on the content of the rubrics and helping students at the secondary level understand the success criteria and strategies for improvement. The scores at the secondary level are based on students' self-reporting. There will be more focus on helping students understand the criteria on the rubrics and how to self-score accurately. Based on the evidence presented in this report, the R-4 monitoring report reflects the District is making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted toward achieving the desired results.
Signed: ___________________________ Date: ___________________________
Superintendent
Board of Education Action
With respect to Results Policy R-4, Collaborative and Responsible Citizens, the Board finds that the organization and the Superintendent are:
- _______ Making reasonable progress toward achieving the desired results
- ___X___ Making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted
- _______ Failing to make reasonable progress
Board Summary Statement/Motion
The board agrees with administration that the district is making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted in this report. The board appreciates all of the hard work by the district in this area of student development, and wants to celebrate the overall performance and subgroup improvements noted in the report.
The board asked about the Yahara pilot program and whether tracking by cohort would be used to assess its effectiveness. The board recommended tying the Action Plan to particular indicators and showing how they connect, as well as summarizing the effectiveness of the prior year's Action Plan as part of the summary for the current year. The board would appreciate a follow-up on the citizenship results from the prior year in next year's report, and would like to have Kent and Maloney back to provide an update on EMLSS at a future meeting.
The board recognizes the difficulty in measuring SEL competencies and appreciates the work to find more quantifiable measures; the board looks forward to seeing improvements with middle school measures and consistency in implementing those indicators.
On a motion by Coker, seconded by Taylor, the DeForest Area School District Board of Education voted to approve R-4, Collaborative and Responsible Citizens Board Policy Monitoring Report, as presented, as making reasonable progress, with exception noted. The motion passed with a unanimous voice vote.
Signed: ___________________________ Date: ___________________________
Board President
Students are productive and collaborative contributors in the workplace and in society. In order to achieve common goals, students will:
Superintendent Interpretation: The Board values supporting students in becoming citizens who meaningfully serve the communities they live in.
4.1 Demonstrate self-confidence, self-advocacy, self-respect, and accept responsibility for their own actions.
Interpretation: The Board values inner strength, reflection, and the ability to connect one's actions with impact on others as personal traits that lead to productive teams.
Critical Terms:
Student Engagement Survey – organized into seven indices which provide a snapshot of students in each of the following areas: Connectedness, Drive, Citizenship, Preparation, Social and Emotional Aptitude, Wellness, and Academic & Career Planning.
Connectedness – the student has positive relationships with peers and adults, is actively involved in school-related activities, feels a sense of belonging, and takes actions to stay and/or be connected to school-related work and/or groups.
Indicator 1a: Student Engagement Survey: Connection Index: The Connectedness Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate and all disaggregated subgroups.
Baseline: The overall Connectedness Index Score for students that took the survey in the Fall of 2023 was 3.18.
Evidence: In the Fall of 2024, the Connectedness Index Score for all students was 3.15.
| Group | Fall 2022 | Fall 2023 | Fall 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 3.17 | 3.18 | 3.15 |
| White | 3.19 | 3.20 | 3.16 |
| 2 or more | 3.12 | 3.06 | 3.07 |
| Black/African Am | 3.00 | 3.15 | 3.11 |
| Asian or North Pacific | 3.08 | 3.10 | 3.10 |
| Hispanic | 3.18 | 3.12 | 3.08 |
| Stu w/ Disabilities | 3.22 | 3.03 | 3.04 |
| Stu w/o Disabilities | 3.17 | 3.19 | 3.16 |
| Male | 3.15 | 3.19 | 3.15 |
| Female | 3.20 | 3.18 | 3.14 |
| Multilingual | 3.14 | 3.13 | 3.04 |
| Not Multilingual | 3.17 | 3.18 | 3.15 |
| Not Econ Disadv | 3.20 | 3.20 | 3.16 |
| Econ Disadv | 3.04 | 3.09 | 3.08 |
4.2 Develop knowledge and global awareness by understanding diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and beliefs.
Interpretation: The Board values the behaviors, habits, and skills that will help students with gaining perspective, developing empathy, and valuing diversity.
Critical Terms:
Behaviors that Promote Learning: The structure of PBIS (Positive Behaviors, Interventions, and Supports) is implemented across the DeForest Area School District. The behaviors that promote learning are reflected in the student information system (Skyward) and relate to the social emotional learning competencies.
Social Emotional Learning Rubric: A rubric built from the SEL Competencies that is used at each level for students and parents/guardians to receive feedback about Emotional Development, Growth Mindset, and Social Competence.
Social Emotional Learning Competencies: Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions (DPI, 2018).
Indicator 1: Elementary and Intermediate Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 79.42% were proficient in Emotional Development.
Evidence (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 78.54% were proficient in Emotional Development.
Indicator 2: Middle School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 62% of 100 randomly selected students were proficient in Emotional Development.
Evidence (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 61.56% were proficient in Emotional Development.
Indicator 3: High School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 86% of 100 randomly selected students were proficient in Emotional Development.
Evidence (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 81.44% were proficient in Emotional Development.
4.3 Communicate effectively, listen actively to understand the perspectives of others, and develop respectful, mutually supportive, collaborative relationships.
Interpretation: The Board values the ability to pay attention to and hear the opinions and perspectives of others, in order to engage with the views of other community members, both inside and outside of school, and to have the ability to utilize conflict resolution skills.
Indicator 1: Elementary and Intermediate Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 80.76% were proficient in Social Competence.
Evidence (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 79.14% were proficient in Social Competence.
Indicator 2: Middle School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 70% of 100 randomly selected students were proficient in Social Competence.
Evidence (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 61.40% were proficient in Social Competence.
Indicator 3: High School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 77% of 100 randomly selected students were proficient in Social Competence.
Evidence (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 74.69% were proficient in Social Competence.
4.4 Understand and practice rights and responsibilities as contributing members of a just society.
Interpretation: The Board values the ability to collaborate with diverse partners. The Board also values students becoming active citizens in the community.
Citizenship – the student motivates and inspires individuals or groups to achieve their goals. They understand the importance of following the rules and are seen as a role model among their peer group for making responsible decisions.
Indicator 1: Student Engagement Survey: Citizenship Index: The Citizenship Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate and all disaggregated subgroups.
Baseline: The overall Citizenship Index Score for students that took the survey in the Fall of 2023 was 3.12.
Evidence: In the Fall of 2024, the Citizenship Index Score for all students was 3.18.
| Group | Fall 2022 | Fall 2023 | Fall 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 3.15 | 3.12 | 3.18 |
| White | 3.16 | 3.13 | 3.19 |
| 2 or more | 3.20 | 3.12 | 3.20 |
| Black/African Am | 2.86 | 3.05 | 3.17 |
| Asian or North Pacific | 2.94 | 3.06 | 3.11 |
| Hispanic | 3.21 | 3.13 | 3.12 |
| Stu w/ Disabilities | 3.12 | 3.02 | 3.10 |
| Stu w/o Disabilities | 3.15 | 3.13 | 3.18 |
| Male | 3.07 | 3.08 | 3.14 |
| Female | 3.23 | 3.17 | 3.22 |
| Multilingual | 3.07 | 3.13 | 3.14 |
| Not Multilingual | 3.16 | 3.12 | 3.18 |
| Not Econ Disadv | 3.18 | 3.13 | 3.19 |
| Econ Disadv | 3.00 | 3.07 | 3.12 |
Indicator 2: High School Civics Exam: Core Questions: 100% of students not exempted and eligible to graduate with their class will pass the Civics Exam.
Baseline: 100% of the students in the class of 2024 that took the Civics Exam passed. 241 students took the exam. 11 students had not yet taken the exam, of those eligible, at the time of reporting.
Evidence: 99.62% of the students in the class of 2025 that took the Civics Exam passed. 267 students have taken the exam. 9 students have not yet taken the exam, of those eligible.
4.5 Develop skills for creating positive outcomes, quality of life, and social justice.
Interpretation: The board values the ability to understand the importance of following rules and being a role model among peer groups. The board values self-reflection and goal setting to help create positive changes. The board also values students maintaining a healthy lifestyle and making decisions in the best interest of their overall health.
Wellness – the student maintains a healthy lifestyle and makes decisions in the best interest of their overall health.
Indicator 1: Student Engagement Survey: Wellness Index: The Wellness Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate and all disaggregated subgroups.
Baseline: The overall Wellness Index Score for students that took the survey in the Fall of 2023 was 3.14.
Evidence: In the Fall of 2024, the Wellness Index Score for all students was 3.21.
| Group | Fall 2022 | Fall 2023 | Fall 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 3.07 | 3.14 | 3.21 |
| White | 3.10 | 3.16 | 3.22 |
| 2 or more | 2.98 | 3.05 | 3.16 |
| Black/African Am | 2.76 | 3.14 | 3.10 |
| Asian or North Pacific | 2.76 | 3.05 | 3.19 |
| Hispanic | 3.01 | 3.08 | 3.16 |
| Stu w/ Disabilities | 3.11 | 3.04 | 3.17 |
| Stu w/o Disabilities | 3.06 | 3.16 | 3.21 |
| Male | 3.07 | 3.19 | 3.26 |
| Female | 3.06 | 3.09 | 3.15 |
| Multilingual | 2.72 | 3.14 | 3.18 |
| Not Multilingual | 3.08 | 3.14 | 3.21 |
| Not Econ Disadv | 3.11 | 3.16 | 3.24 |
| Econ Disadv | 2.86 | 3.03 | 3.05 |
Indicator 2: Elementary and Intermediate Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 83.46% were proficient in Growth Mindset.
Evidence (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 83.76% were proficient in Growth Mindset.
Indicator 3: Middle School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 70% were proficient in Growth Mindset (from 100 random student gradebooks).
Evidence (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 61.0% were proficient in Growth Mindset.
Indicator 4: High School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 75% were proficient in Growth Mindset (from 100 random student gradebooks).
Evidence (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 71.6% were proficient in Growth Mindset.
4.6 Exercise good stewardship of the community and their environment.
Interpretation: The board values accountability for contributing to and investing time in worthwhile issues that improve personal satisfaction and contribute to making the community a better place to live, work, and play.
Indicator 1: 80% of DASD graduates will complete at least 25 hours of Community Service by the end of their Senior year (within the 4 years).
Baseline: (To be established)
Evidence: This will be a requirement beginning with the class of 2025. Next year's board report will provide baseline data.
Analysis Summary
Strengths:
- The Connectedness index is above the benchmark of 3.0 (3.15). This includes all subgroups.
- High School (81.44%) was above the 80% benchmark for Emotional Development.
- The Citizenship index is above the benchmark of 3.0 (3.18). This includes all subgroups.
- 99.62% of current 12th grade students have passed the Civics exam.
- The Wellness index is above the benchmark of 3.0 (3.21). This includes all subgroups.
- Elementary/Intermediate (83.76%) was above the 80% benchmark for Growth Mindset.
Opportunities:
- Elementary/Intermediate (78.54%) and Middle School (61.56%) were below the 80% benchmark for Emotional Development.
- Elementary/Intermediate (79.14%), Middle School (61.4%), and High School (74.69%) were below the 80% benchmark for Social Competence.
- Middle School (61.4%) and High School (75.67%) were below the 80% benchmark for Growth Mindset.
Action Plan
- K-3 Guidance Counselors reviewed various social-emotional learning curricular resources to support their work with students. Through this review, they have decided to move forward with Character Strong as the resource they will use with all K-3 students during Life Skills.
- Based on staff and community feedback, behavior support positions (2) were created to support the continued implementation of PBIS, district-wide social emotional support, and individual student behavior response. Interviews will be taking place within the next few weeks.
- 12th grade students in the Class of 2025 will be documenting their total community service hours as part of their Senior ACP presentations.
- Yahara is piloting the use of a social emotional screening tool (SABERS) at the 2nd grade level. The team will be comparing the data to DASD's Student Engagement Survey and providing suggestions for larger-scale administration at the K-3 level moving forward.
- Increase in school psychologists' time at Harvest Intermediate School and the High School in order to provide additional small group support to students with social-emotional needs.
- Partnering with Journey Mental Health to provide targeted small group social emotional instruction at the middle school. (This is financially supported through Mental Health grant money provided through the state.)
Capacity Building
- Maintain the professional development budget.
- Continued support for resources for staff with our Social Emotional Learning curriculum.
- Continued support for our partnership with CESA 10 to build and strengthen our PBIS and eMLSS structures in the district.
- Support for the new Behavior Support Positions.
- Support for the increase in school psychologists' time at two buildings (Harvest and the High School).
Appendix: Questions from Student Engagement Survey & SEL Rubric
Connectedness:
- I get along with the adults at school.
- I am a member of at least one club, sport, or activity.
- I am willing to participate in class.
- I belong at this school.
- The other students in my school care about me.
- I feel like I can be myself at school.
- My teachers are interested in me and my opinions.
Citizenship:
- I work well with others.
- I help others.
- I plan ahead.
- I make good choices.
- I help my friends make good choices.
- I know how to get help in school when I need it.
Wellness:
- I am physically active at least three times per week.
- I sleep enough at night.
- I eat healthy food most of the time.
- I live a healthy lifestyle.
SEL Rubric – Elementary Level
SEL Rubric – Intermediate Level
SEL Rubric – Middle School
SEL Rubric – High School
DeForest Area School District – Results Monitoring
R-4 Collaborative and Responsible Citizens
Summary of Reasonable Progress
Date: April 14, 2025
Date Approved by the Board: April 14, 2025
Interpretations & indicators accepted by DASD Board of Education on September 11, 2017. Revised – November 12, 2018; July 22, 2024.
Superintendent Certification
With respect to Results Policy R-4, Collaborative and Responsible Citizens, the Superintendent certifies that the following information is accurate and complete, and that the District is:
- _______ Making reasonable progress toward achieving the desired results
- ___X___ Making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted
- _______ Failing to make reasonable progress
Superintendent Summary Statement:
This report monitors Results Policy R-4, Collaborative and Responsible Citizens. The results of this report reflect the district is "making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted". All groups met or exceeded the 3.0 expectation on the student engagement survey. There was an improved alignment in implementation at the middle and high school with social emotional learning (SEL) feedback rubrics over the last two years. Now more effort needs to be focused on the content of the rubrics and helping students at the secondary level understand the success criteria and strategies for improvement. The scores at the secondary level are based on students' self-reporting. There will be more focus on helping students understand the criteria on the rubrics and how to self-score accurately. Based on the evidence presented in this report, the R-4 monitoring report reflects the District is making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted toward achieving the desired results.
Signed: ___________________________ Date: ___________________________
Superintendent
Board of Education Action
With respect to Results Policy R-4, Collaborative and Responsible Citizens, the Board finds that the organization and the Superintendent are:
- _______ Making reasonable progress toward achieving the desired results
- ___X___ Making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted
- _______ Failing to make reasonable progress
Board Summary Statement/Motion
The board agrees with administration that the district is making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted in this report. The board appreciates all of the hard work by the district in this area of student development, and wants to celebrate the overall performance and subgroup improvements noted in the report.
The board asked about the Yahara pilot program and whether tracking by cohort would be used to assess its effectiveness. The board recommended tying the Action Plan to particular indicators and showing how they connect, as well as summarizing the effectiveness of the prior year's Action Plan as part of the summary for the current year. The board would appreciate a follow-up on the citizenship results from the prior year in next year's report, and would like to have Kent and Maloney back to provide an update on EMLSS at a future meeting.
The board recognizes the difficulty in measuring SEL competencies and appreciates the work to find more quantifiable measures; the board looks forward to seeing improvements with middle school measures and consistency in implementing those indicators.
On a motion by Coker, seconded by Taylor, the DeForest Area School District Board of Education voted to approve R-4, Collaborative and Responsible Citizens Board Policy Monitoring Report, as presented, as making reasonable progress, with exception noted. The motion passed with a unanimous voice vote.
Signed: ___________________________ Date: ___________________________
Board President
Students are productive and collaborative contributors in the workplace and in society. In order to achieve common goals, students will:
Superintendent Interpretation: The Board values supporting students in becoming citizens who meaningfully serve the communities they live in.
4.1 Demonstrate self-confidence, self-advocacy, self-respect, and accept responsibility for their own actions.
Interpretation: The Board values inner strength, reflection, and the ability to connect one's actions with impact on others as personal traits that lead to productive teams.
Critical Terms:
Student Engagement Survey – organized into seven indices which provide a snapshot of students in each of the following areas: Connectedness, Drive, Citizenship, Preparation, Social and Emotional Aptitude, Wellness, and Academic & Career Planning.
Connectedness – the student has positive relationships with peers and adults, is actively involved in school-related activities, feels a sense of belonging, and takes actions to stay and/or be connected to school-related work and/or groups.
Indicator 1a: Student Engagement Survey: Connection Index: The Connectedness Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate and all disaggregated subgroups.
Baseline: The overall Connectedness Index Score for students that took the survey in the Fall of 2023 was 3.18.
Evidence: In the Fall of 2024, the Connectedness Index Score for all students was 3.15.
| Group | Fall 2022 | Fall 2023 | Fall 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 3.17 | 3.18 | 3.15 |
| White | 3.19 | 3.20 | 3.16 |
| 2 or more | 3.12 | 3.06 | 3.07 |
| Black/African Am | 3.00 | 3.15 | 3.11 |
| Asian or North Pacific | 3.08 | 3.10 | 3.10 |
| Hispanic | 3.18 | 3.12 | 3.08 |
| Stu w/ Disabilities | 3.22 | 3.03 | 3.04 |
| Stu w/o Disabilities | 3.17 | 3.19 | 3.16 |
| Male | 3.15 | 3.19 | 3.15 |
| Female | 3.20 | 3.18 | 3.14 |
| Multilingual | 3.14 | 3.13 | 3.04 |
| Not Multilingual | 3.17 | 3.18 | 3.15 |
| Not Econ Disadv | 3.20 | 3.20 | 3.16 |
| Econ Disadv | 3.04 | 3.09 | 3.08 |
4.2 Develop knowledge and global awareness by understanding diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and beliefs.
Interpretation: The Board values the behaviors, habits, and skills that will help students with gaining perspective, developing empathy, and valuing diversity.
Critical Terms:
Behaviors that Promote Learning: The structure of PBIS (Positive Behaviors, Interventions, and Supports) is implemented across the DeForest Area School District. The behaviors that promote learning are reflected in the student information system (Skyward) and relate to the social emotional learning competencies.
Social Emotional Learning Rubric: A rubric built from the SEL Competencies that is used at each level for students and parents/guardians to receive feedback about Emotional Development, Growth Mindset, and Social Competence.
Social Emotional Learning Competencies: Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions (DPI, 2018).
Indicator 1: Elementary and Intermediate Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 79.42% were proficient in Emotional Development.
Evidence (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 78.54% were proficient in Emotional Development.
Indicator 2: Middle School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 62% of 100 randomly selected students were proficient in Emotional Development.
Evidence (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 61.56% were proficient in Emotional Development.
Indicator 3: High School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 86% of 100 randomly selected students were proficient in Emotional Development.
Evidence (Emotional Development): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 81.44% were proficient in Emotional Development.
4.3 Communicate effectively, listen actively to understand the perspectives of others, and develop respectful, mutually supportive, collaborative relationships.
Interpretation: The Board values the ability to pay attention to and hear the opinions and perspectives of others, in order to engage with the views of other community members, both inside and outside of school, and to have the ability to utilize conflict resolution skills.
Indicator 1: Elementary and Intermediate Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 80.76% were proficient in Social Competence.
Evidence (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 79.14% were proficient in Social Competence.
Indicator 2: Middle School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 70% of 100 randomly selected students were proficient in Social Competence.
Evidence (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 61.40% were proficient in Social Competence.
Indicator 3: High School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 77% of 100 randomly selected students were proficient in Social Competence.
Evidence (Social Competence): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 74.69% were proficient in Social Competence.
4.4 Understand and practice rights and responsibilities as contributing members of a just society.
Interpretation: The Board values the ability to collaborate with diverse partners. The Board also values students becoming active citizens in the community.
Citizenship – the student motivates and inspires individuals or groups to achieve their goals. They understand the importance of following the rules and are seen as a role model among their peer group for making responsible decisions.
Indicator 1: Student Engagement Survey: Citizenship Index: The Citizenship Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate and all disaggregated subgroups.
Baseline: The overall Citizenship Index Score for students that took the survey in the Fall of 2023 was 3.12.
Evidence: In the Fall of 2024, the Citizenship Index Score for all students was 3.18.
| Group | Fall 2022 | Fall 2023 | Fall 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 3.15 | 3.12 | 3.18 |
| White | 3.16 | 3.13 | 3.19 |
| 2 or more | 3.20 | 3.12 | 3.20 |
| Black/African Am | 2.86 | 3.05 | 3.17 |
| Asian or North Pacific | 2.94 | 3.06 | 3.11 |
| Hispanic | 3.21 | 3.13 | 3.12 |
| Stu w/ Disabilities | 3.12 | 3.02 | 3.10 |
| Stu w/o Disabilities | 3.15 | 3.13 | 3.18 |
| Male | 3.07 | 3.08 | 3.14 |
| Female | 3.23 | 3.17 | 3.22 |
| Multilingual | 3.07 | 3.13 | 3.14 |
| Not Multilingual | 3.16 | 3.12 | 3.18 |
| Not Econ Disadv | 3.18 | 3.13 | 3.19 |
| Econ Disadv | 3.00 | 3.07 | 3.12 |
Indicator 2: High School Civics Exam: Core Questions: 100% of students not exempted and eligible to graduate with their class will pass the Civics Exam.
Baseline: 100% of the students in the class of 2024 that took the Civics Exam passed. 241 students took the exam. 11 students had not yet taken the exam, of those eligible, at the time of reporting.
Evidence: 99.62% of the students in the class of 2025 that took the Civics Exam passed. 267 students have taken the exam. 9 students have not yet taken the exam, of those eligible.
4.5 Develop skills for creating positive outcomes, quality of life, and social justice.
Interpretation: The board values the ability to understand the importance of following rules and being a role model among peer groups. The board values self-reflection and goal setting to help create positive changes. The board also values students maintaining a healthy lifestyle and making decisions in the best interest of their overall health.
Wellness – the student maintains a healthy lifestyle and makes decisions in the best interest of their overall health.
Indicator 1: Student Engagement Survey: Wellness Index: The Wellness Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate and all disaggregated subgroups.
Baseline: The overall Wellness Index Score for students that took the survey in the Fall of 2023 was 3.14.
Evidence: In the Fall of 2024, the Wellness Index Score for all students was 3.21.
| Group | Fall 2022 | Fall 2023 | Fall 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 3.07 | 3.14 | 3.21 |
| White | 3.10 | 3.16 | 3.22 |
| 2 or more | 2.98 | 3.05 | 3.16 |
| Black/African Am | 2.76 | 3.14 | 3.10 |
| Asian or North Pacific | 2.76 | 3.05 | 3.19 |
| Hispanic | 3.01 | 3.08 | 3.16 |
| Stu w/ Disabilities | 3.11 | 3.04 | 3.17 |
| Stu w/o Disabilities | 3.06 | 3.16 | 3.21 |
| Male | 3.07 | 3.19 | 3.26 |
| Female | 3.06 | 3.09 | 3.15 |
| Multilingual | 2.72 | 3.14 | 3.18 |
| Not Multilingual | 3.08 | 3.14 | 3.21 |
| Not Econ Disadv | 3.11 | 3.16 | 3.24 |
| Econ Disadv | 2.86 | 3.03 | 3.05 |
Indicator 2: Elementary and Intermediate Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 83.46% were proficient in Growth Mindset.
Evidence (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 83.76% were proficient in Growth Mindset.
Indicator 3: Middle School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 70% were proficient in Growth Mindset (from 100 random student gradebooks).
Evidence (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 61.0% were proficient in Growth Mindset.
Indicator 4: High School Behaviors that Promote Learning. Target: 80% of students will be marked proficient.
Baseline (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2024 in Skyward: 75% were proficient in Growth Mindset (from 100 random student gradebooks).
Evidence (Growth Mindset): Compilation of grade mark reports from 2025 in Skyward: 71.6% were proficient in Growth Mindset.
4.6 Exercise good stewardship of the community and their environment.
Interpretation: The board values accountability for contributing to and investing time in worthwhile issues that improve personal satisfaction and contribute to making the community a better place to live, work, and play.
Indicator 1: 80% of DASD graduates will complete at least 25 hours of Community Service by the end of their Senior year (within the 4 years).
Baseline: (To be established)
Evidence: This will be a requirement beginning with the class of 2025. Next year's board report will provide baseline data.
Analysis Summary
Strengths:
- The Connectedness index is above the benchmark of 3.0 (3.15). This includes all subgroups.
- High School (81.44%) was above the 80% benchmark for Emotional Development.
- The Citizenship index is above the benchmark of 3.0 (3.18). This includes all subgroups.
- 99.62% of current 12th grade students have passed the Civics exam.
- The Wellness index is above the benchmark of 3.0 (3.21). This includes all subgroups.
- Elementary/Intermediate (83.76%) was above the 80% benchmark for Growth Mindset.
Opportunities:
- Elementary/Intermediate (78.54%) and Middle School (61.56%) were below the 80% benchmark for Emotional Development.
- Elementary/Intermediate (79.14%), Middle School (61.4%), and High School (74.69%) were below the 80% benchmark for Social Competence.
- Middle School (61.4%) and High School (75.67%) were below the 80% benchmark for Growth Mindset.
Action Plan
- K-3 Guidance Counselors reviewed various social-emotional learning curricular resources to support their work with students. Through this review, they have decided to move forward with Character Strong as the resource they will use with all K-3 students during Life Skills.
- Based on staff and community feedback, behavior support positions (2) were created to support the continued implementation of PBIS, district-wide social emotional support, and individual student behavior response. Interviews will be taking place within the next few weeks.
- 12th grade students in the Class of 2025 will be documenting their total community service hours as part of their Senior ACP presentations.
- Yahara is piloting the use of a social emotional screening tool (SABERS) at the 2nd grade level. The team will be comparing the data to DASD's Student Engagement Survey and providing suggestions for larger-scale administration at the K-3 level moving forward.
- Increase in school psychologists' time at Harvest Intermediate School and the High School in order to provide additional small group support to students with social-emotional needs.
- Partnering with Journey Mental Health to provide targeted small group social emotional instruction at the middle school. (This is financially supported through Mental Health grant money provided through the state.)
Capacity Building
- Maintain the professional development budget.
- Continued support for resources for staff with our Social Emotional Learning curriculum.
- Continued support for our partnership with CESA 10 to build and strengthen our PBIS and eMLSS structures in the district.
- Support for the new Behavior Support Positions.
- Support for the increase in school psychologists' time at two buildings (Harvest and the High School).
Appendix: Questions from Student Engagement Survey & SEL Rubric
Connectedness:
- I get along with the adults at school.
- I am a member of at least one club, sport, or activity.
- I am willing to participate in class.
- I belong at this school.
- The other students in my school care about me.
- I feel like I can be myself at school.
- My teachers are interested in me and my opinions.
Citizenship:
- I work well with others.
- I help others.
- I plan ahead.
- I make good choices.
- I help my friends make good choices.
- I know how to get help in school when I need it.
Wellness:
- I am physically active at least three times per week.
- I sleep enough at night.
- I eat healthy food most of the time.
- I live a healthy lifestyle.
SEL Rubric – Elementary Level
SEL Rubric – Intermediate Level
SEL Rubric – Middle School
SEL Rubric – High School
R-4 COLLABORATIVE AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS: SUMMARY OF REASONABLE PROGRESS
Date: April 13, 2026
Organization: DeForest Area School District
Superintendent Certification
The Superintendent certifies that the District is making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted[cite: 1, 2].
"The student engagement survey demonstrates the overall score to be at or above a 3.0 in all three areas measured in this report: connectedness, citizenship, and wellness"[cite: 3, 4].
Policy Interpretations & Indicators
4.1 Self-Confidence and Responsibility
The Board values inner strength, reflection, and the ability to connect one's actions with their impact on others[cite: 11].
- Connectedness Indicator: Aggregate score for 7th-12th grade students target is 3.00[cite: 14].
- Evidence: Fall 2025 score was 3.21[cite: 16].
- Disaggregated Data: All subgroups met the 3.00 benchmark except students identifying as Asian (2.99)[cite: 20, 96].
4.2 Global Awareness and Diversity
Focuses on behaviors, habits, and skills that help students gain perspective and value diversity[cite: 25].
- Elementary/Intermediate: 73% proficient in Emotional Development (Below 80% target)[cite: 32, 104].
- Middle School: 90% proficient in Emotional Development (Met target)[cite: 35, 97].
- High School: 88% proficient in Emotional Development (Met target)[cite: 38, 97].
4.4 Citizenship and Rights
The Board values students becoming active, contributing members of a just society[cite: 49, 51].
- Citizenship Index: Fall 2025 aggregate score was 3.24, exceeding the 3.00 benchmark[cite: 301].
- Civics Exam: 99.59% of the Class of 2026 passed the exam[cite: 68, 100].
Analysis Summary
Strengths
- Connectedness and Citizenship indices are both above the 3.0 benchmark and showing growth[cite: 95, 99].
- Middle and High School levels exceeded the 80% benchmark for Emotional Development and Social Competence[cite: 97, 98].
Opportunities for Improvement
- Elementary and Intermediate levels fell below the 80% benchmark in Emotional Development (73%), Social Competence (71%), and Growth Mindset (75%)[cite: 104, 105, 106].
2026-2027 Action Plan
- Staffing: Add a high school counselor and an additional elementary dean to support social-emotional needs[cite: 113, 114].
- Curriculum: Continue implementation of "Character Strong" in K-3 and Tier 2 resources for struggling students[cite: 108, 111].
- Mental Health: Expand partnerships with community providers for one-on-one student support[cite: 116].
- Professional Development: Provide training for Educational Assistants on emotional regulation[cite: 118, 126].
B. Review potential indicator revisions for Board Policy R-4 Collaborative and Responsible Citizens Monitoring Report
Indicator & Interpretation Changes
Beginning in 2024-2025
| BOE Policy | Proposed Indicator Change | Date Approved |
|---|---|---|
| R-4 Collaborative and Responsible Citizens |
Revise and update R-4; 4.2: indicators 1, 2, and 3; 4.3: indicators 1, 2 and 3; 4.5: indicators 3, 4, and 5.
Add attendance indicators from OE-10 to R-4:
|
|
| R-3 Self-Directed Complex Thinkers |
3.4 – Recommend removing Indicator 1. 3.4 – Add indicator: The total percent of students from the previous year's graduating class that completes at least one of the following:
|
|
| OE-6 Financial Administration |
6.6, Indicator 2: The district's submission of the PI-1505 WiSFip Annual Report is accepted by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. 6.6, Indicator 3: An independent auditor's submission of the PI-1506 AC WiSFip report is accepted by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Rationale: PI has changed the PI-1505 Annual Report; the new report is the WiSFip Annual Report. |
March 9, 2026 (Done) |
| OE-12 Facilities |
12.2, Indicator 1: The Annual Budget Report will include projected capital projects that include information about life cycle and projected cost. Rationale: Clarifying the name of the report; timing does not allow projected costs to be included in this report. |
March 9, 2026 (Done) |
| OE-12 Facilities |
12.3, Indicator 1: A cost/benefit analysis is presented utilized for projects of $250,000 or more. Rationale: The analysis is completed by the district administration and team used to make project decisions. |
March 9, 2026 (Done) |
| OE-12 Facilities |
12.6, Indicator 2: 100% of use permit/requests are responded to within 15 days of the requested date request. Rationale: Sometimes outside users request a space a year in advance. This change allows the district to focus on DASD student needs for space as a priority. |
March 9, 2026 (Done) |
| R-2 Numeracy, Other Courses, Technology |
2.2 Indicator 1: 90% of students in grades 7th–12th grade will report that they consider the accuracy, perspective, and credibility of what they read online. Rationale: We have established baseline so moving forward the recommendation is to use the indicator language above. |
March 9, 2026 (Done) |
| R-2 Numeracy, Other Courses, Technology |
2.2 Indicator 2: 90% of students in grades 7th–12th grade will report that they are careful about sharing information about themselves online. Rationale: We have established baseline so moving forward the recommendation is to use the indicator language above. |
March 9, 2026 (Done) |
| OE-7 |
Currently: 96% of technology maintenance requests are completed within the school year requested and the average completion time is under 90 days. 7.4 Indicator 3: Consider removing the word "maintenance." Rationale: The word "maintenance" is not necessary because DASD names technology requests simply as "technology requests." |
November 24, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-3 | Add under 3.C: Indicator 4: The district responds to Public Records Requests following a defined process. | November 24, 2025 (Done) |
| R-3 |
Currently: 3.2 Indicator 1: The Preparation Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate, and all disaggregated subgroups. Proposed:
Rationale: Include the grade levels of the students. Create 2 indicators instead of 1. The scores being aggregated and disaggregated are two different things and were lumped into one indicator. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-3 |
Currently: 3.3 Indicator 1: The Social Emotional Learning Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate, and all disaggregated subgroups. Proposed:
Rationale: Include the grade levels of the students. Create 2 indicators instead of 1. The scores being aggregated and disaggregated are two different things and were lumped into one indicator. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-3 |
Currently: 3.3 Indicator 2: The Drive Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate, and all disaggregated subgroups. Proposed:
Rationale: Include the grade levels of the students. Create 2 indicators instead of 1. The scores being aggregated and disaggregated are two different things and were lumped into one indicator. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-3 |
Currently: 3.4 Indicator 2: The ACP Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate, and all disaggregated subgroups. Proposed:
Rationale: Include the grade levels of the students. Create 2 indicators instead of 1. The scores being aggregated and disaggregated are two different things and were lumped into one indicator. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-4 |
Currently: 4.1 Indicator 1a: Student Engagement Survey: Connection Index: The Connectedness Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate, and all disaggregated subgroups. Proposed:
Rationale: Include the grade levels of the students. Create 2 indicators instead of 1. The scores being aggregated and disaggregated are two different things and were lumped into one indicator. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-4 |
Currently: 4.4 Indicator 1: Student Engagement Survey: Citizenship Index: The Citizenship Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate, and all disaggregated subgroups. Proposed:
Rationale: Include the grade levels of the students. Create 2 indicators instead of 1. The scores being aggregated and disaggregated are two different things and were lumped into one indicator. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-4 |
Currently: 4.5 Indicator 1: Student Engagement Survey: Wellness Index: The Wellness Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate, and all disaggregated subgroups. Proposed:
Rationale: Include the grade levels of the students. Create 2 indicators instead of 1. The scores being aggregated and disaggregated are two different things and were lumped into one indicator. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-10 Learning Environment |
Currently:
Proposed:
Rationale: K–3rd grade students will no longer take the engagement survey due to inconsistencies with younger students. After follow-up questions by staff with students that had low scores, the data was not always accurate because the students' interpretations of the questions were very literal (in the moment). |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-2 Literacy |
Remove Indicator 5: The percent of students that are on level or above level in Spring in Reading, as identified in the district assessment, will increase from the year before (overall percent of students K-8). Proposed Addition: 2.1, Indicator 5: The percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on the state standardized test of Forward in Reading will maintain or increase from the previous year in grades 3-8. Rationale: The BOE had a work session in February 2025 where members shared an interest in knowing cohort (performance over the years with the same group of students) performance. Removing Indicator 5 removes iReady as a measure for the monitoring reports. It will be used at the building level continuous improvement plans and will be provided to the BOE as an update mid-year (progress monitoring). |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-2 Literacy |
Proposed Addition: 2.1, Indicator 6: The percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on PreACT Secure and ACT Reading will maintain or increase from the previous year in grades 9–11. Rationale: The BOE had a work session in February 2025 where members shared an interest in knowing cohort (performance over the years with the same group of students) performance. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-2 Numeracy & Other Courses & Technology |
Remove Indicator 5: The percent of students that are on level or above level in Spring in Math, as identified in the district assessment, will increase from the year before (overall percent of students K-8). Proposed Addition: The percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on the state standardized test of Forward in Math will maintain or increase from the previous year in grades 3-8. Rationale: The BOE had a work session in February 2025 where members shared an interest in knowing cohort performance. Removing Indicator 5 removes iReady as a measure for the monitoring reports. It will be used at the building level continuous improvement plans and will be provided to the BOE as a mid-year update (progress monitoring). |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-2 Numeracy & Other Courses & Technology |
2.1, Indicator 6: The percentage of students within grade-level cohorts who are meeting or advanced on PreACT Secure and ACT in Math will maintain or increase from the previous year in grades 9–11. Rationale: The BOE had a work session in February 2025 where members shared an interest in knowing cohort performance. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| R-2 Numeracy & Other Courses & Technology |
Remove 2.2 Indicator 1: 90% of students in grades 5-8 will rate their technology skills as being similar or better than their peers. Remove 2.2 Indicator 2: 95% of students in grades 5 through 8 will report that they use digital tools for learning. Proposed:
Rationale: These technology indicators are updated and more reflective of what the policy states. These were measured last year and included in the monitoring report appendix in 2024. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-8 |
8.1 Currently: Indicator 2: By the end of July of each year, the Board finds the district "in compliance" or "compliance with noted exceptions" with 10 of 12 OE policies. Change to: By the end of July of each year, the Board finds the district "in compliance" or "compliance with noted exceptions" with 9 of 11 monitored OE policies. Rationale: There are only 11 OEs that have monitoring reports. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-3 |
3.2 Currently: Indicator 2: 100% of formal, written complaints filed are investigated and resolved according to Wisconsin State Law. Change to: 100% of formal, written complaints filed are investigated and resolved in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and/or district policies. Rationale: The indicator needs to reflect more than WI State Law. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-9 |
9.1, Indicator 2: Delete. Current: The District maintains an online presence (i.e., website and social media). Rationale: Eliminate because it is combined into the indicator proposed below. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-9 |
9.1, Indicator 3: Currently: The District regularly disseminates news to families and other community groups. This would become 9.1, Indicator 2 – Proposed: In accordance with the District communication plan, the District communicates strategically and in a timely way through a variety of methods in order to build public understanding and support. Rationale: The district communication plan will include a comprehensive mix of news and ways to tell the district's story across multiple platforms including an online presence. |
September 22, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-10 |
10.7 Currently: Indicator 3: The Athletics and Activities code of conduct is reviewed annually with coaches and signed by 100% of students' families. Change to: The Athletics and Activities Code of Conduct is reviewed annually with coaches and signed by 100% of Athletes & Athletes' parents/guardians. Rationale: DASD cannot guarantee that all students in all activities sign the Athletics and Activities Code of Conduct because of the flow of students in activities (e.g., FFA automatically includes every student in Agricultural Sciences class). DASD can guarantee that all Athletes sign the Code of Conduct. All other school-sponsored activities will be covered by the Student/Family Handbook that all families sign during the registration process. |
June 9, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.1 Indicator 1: Recruitment efforts include a range of strategic actions to reach a broad population of potential candidates for employment. 4.3 Indicator 5: The district regularly reviews and is in compliance with all components of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity policies. 4.6 Indicator 4: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating within 0.2 or above the peer comparison rating (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for, "I have training and support to work with students from different backgrounds." Explanation: Indicators remained the same but were relocated within the monitoring report from former policy 4.2. |
July 28, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.2 Indicator 2: The district will retain and work to increase the racial/ethnic diversity in the makeup of staff. Explanation: Indicator removed. |
July 28, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.7 Indicator 3: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating within 0.2 rate (2023-24 baseline rating) or above the peer comparison rating (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for, "I have opportunities for training/professional development to improve my work." (Starting with 25-26 report, now 4.6, Indicator 3.) Rationale: Defining annual benchmark using peer comparison rating rather than an arbitrary fixed number. |
July 28, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.9 Indicator 2: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating within 0.2 rate (2023-24 baseline rating) or above the peer comparison rating (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for, "In the last year, I received useful feedback to help improve my work." (Starting with 25-26 report, now 4.8, Indicator 2.) Rationale: Defining annual benchmark using peer comparison rating rather than an arbitrary fixed number. |
July 28, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.2 Indicator 4: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating within 0.2 or above the peer comparison rating (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for, "I have training and support to work with students from different backgrounds." (Starting with 25-26 report, now 4.6, Indicator 4.) Rationale: Add an indicator measuring how well we are preparing staff to work with all students. |
March 17, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.4 Indicator 1: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating of (2023-24 baseline data) within 0.2 or above the peer comparison rating (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for, "I have healthy working relationships with my coworkers." (Starting with 25-26 report, now 4.3, Indicator 1.) Rationale: Defining annual benchmark using peer comparison rating rather than an arbitrary fixed number. |
March 17, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.4 Indicator 3: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating within 0.2 or above the peer comparison rating average of other school districts (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for overall averaged index rating. (Starting with 25-26 report, now 4.3, Indicator 3.) Rationale: Use term "peer comparison rating" to align with other indicators rather than "average of other school districts." |
March 17, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.5 Indicator 3: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating within 0.2 rate (2023-24 baseline rating) or above the peer comparison rating (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for, "The District seeks input from a broad group of staff members." (Starting with 25-26 report, now 4.4, Indicator 3.) Rationale: Defining annual benchmark using peer comparison rating rather than an arbitrary fixed number. |
March 17, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.9 Indicator 4: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating within 0.2 rate (2023-24 baseline rating) or above the peer comparison rating (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for, "I am recognized when I do a good job." (Starting with 25-26 report, now 4.8, Indicator 3.) Rationale: Defining annual benchmark using peer comparison rating rather than an arbitrary fixed number. |
March 17, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-4 |
4.10 Indicator 9: Employee survey results demonstrate a rating within 0.2 rate (2023-24 baseline rating) or above the peer comparison rating (on a scale of 5.0) on the Staff Survey for, "The District's pay practices are fair." (Starting with 25-26 report, now 4.9, Indicator 9.) Rationale: Defining annual benchmark using peer comparison rating rather than an arbitrary fixed number. |
March 17, 2025 (Done) |
| OE-12 |
12.2 Interpretation: The Board values being a good steward of the district's money. The total costs associated with a capital project over its entire lifespan, not just the initial investment or construction costs, are areas that are considered. This includes ongoing expenses. Capital decisions: Large capital expenditures (over $250,000) to include things like roof, boilers, chillers, lighting, etc. Expenses: maintenance, repairs, energy consumption, and eventual decommissioning or replacement. Proposed Indicator: The Annual Report will include projected capital projects that include information about life cycle and projected cost. Evidence: Report included in the Annual Meeting that reflects the capital maintenance plan. (This report will be presented during budget parameter presentations.) |
February 10, 2025 (Done) |
| R-2 Numeracy, Courses, Tech |
R.2.2 Indicators 1 & 2: Indicator 1: 90% of students in grades 7th–12th grade will agree or strongly agree with the following statement on the student engagement survey: "I am careful about sharing information about myself online." Indicator 2: 90% of students in grades 7th–12th grade will agree or strongly agree with the following statement on the student engagement survey: "I consider the accuracy, perspective and credibility of what I read online." Rationale: These questions on the student engagement survey better match the language in the policy. |
December 9, 2024 (Done) |
| R-2 Literacy |
Indicator changes:
Indicator additions:
|
November 25, 2024 (Done) |
| OE-7 |
Indicator Revisions: 7.3 The superintendent will protect intellectual property, information, files, records and fixed assets from loss or significant damage. Recommendation to remove existing indicators and replace with the following:
7.4 The Superintendent may not allow facilities and equipment to be subject to improper use or insufficient maintenance. Recommending replacing Indicator 1, and adding Indicator 2 and renaming Indicator 2 to Indicator 3:
|
November 11, 2024 (Done) |
| OE-8 |
Remove: 8.11, Indicator 2: Board annual review of OE-11 Instructional Program. Rationale: Redundant and covered elsewhere. |
September 23, 2024 (Done) |
| R-3 & R-4 |
Add:
Revise: 3.4, Indicator 1: 100% of students in 8th & 10th grades have an Academic & Career Plan (ACP) in place. Remove: 3.4, Indicator 2: 100% of 10th grade students will have developed a course outline through graduation that aligns with their Academic & Career Plan (ACP). Revise: 4.1, Indicator 1a: Student Engagement Survey: Connection Index: The Connectedness Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate and all disaggregated subgroups. b) Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) – School Connectedness. 4.2, 4.3, Indicators 1 – Add "intermediate"; replace Social Competence with Emotional Development in all areas of report. Add to 4.4:
Add to 4.5:
4.6 Revision: Indicator 1a: Student survey – School Perceptions: Wellness Index: The Wellness Index Score will be at or above a 3.00 for both the aggregate and all disaggregated subgroups. b) Students who self-report having exercised 4-7 days in the past week on the YRBS. 80% of DASD graduates will complete at least 25 hours of Community Service by the end of their Senior year (within the 4 years). Remove: Indicator 2a: Student Discipline Data: Bullying: Major referrals in the bullying group will decrease from the previous school year. b) Youth Risk Behavior Survey (students who self-reported having experienced bullying at school during the past 12 months). Rationale: Not needed; OE-10 measures In School Suspensions and Out of School Suspensions. |
July 22, 2024 (Done) |
C. Gather input for summary statement for R-4 Collaborative and Responsible Citizens Monitoring Report
D. Board consideration and possible approval of District budget parameters for 2026-2027 school year
8. Public Input
The DASD Board of Education welcomes community participation and feedback.
Public comment shall be limited to three (3) minutes in duration. If there is a group who all wish to speak on the same topic, a single spokesperson should be selected. The Chairperson may interrupt or stop an individual’s statement if it is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, repetitive or irrelevant.
Please refrain from presenting comments at public meetings that introduce complaints or concerns that are directed toward and that identify individual staff members or individual students. Any person with such a complaint or concern may contact the Office of the Superintendent for information on the most appropriate means of raising or pursuing his/her complaint.
The Wisconsin Open Meetings Law requires that Board of Education members do not discuss topics, respond to questions, take action or otherwise engage in conversation related to items that are not listed on the Board’s agenda. Members of the Board may ask questions for clarification purposes only.
9. Board Consent Agenda GC-2.4 (Approximately 5 minutes)
A. Accept minutes of March 9, 2026
DeForest Area School District
Board of Education Regular Meeting Minutes
Monday, March 9, 2026 – 6:00 p.m.
1. Notice
In accordance with Board Procedure, BP-5, this meeting will be live streamed and recorded, and can be viewed on the District YouTube channel.
2. Convene
President Gail Lovick called the March 9, 2026 regular meeting of the DeForest Area School District's Board of Education to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom of the District Office, 500 S. Cleveland Avenue, DeForest, WI 53532.
Superintendent, Dr. Rebecca Toetz verified that the meeting was properly noticed.
Board members present: Jan Berg, Brian Coker, Sue Esser, Linda Leonhart, Gail Lovick, Stephanie Sarr, and Megan Taylor. Absent: Jeff Hahn and Gussie Lewis.
Also present: Dr. Rebecca Toetz, Kathleen Davis-Phillips, Dyanna Kadrich, Kate Dabetic, Chris Smith, Nate Jaeger, Roz Craney, and Kathy Williams.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Brian Coker recited the DeForest Area School District's Mission, Vision, and Equity Statements.
3. Approval of the Agenda
On a motion by Berg, seconded by Sarr, and passed unanimously by voice vote, the agenda was approved.
4. Board Education
A. Board Education on Industry-Recognized Credentials and their role in accessing Work-Based Learning opportunities (Internship & Youth Apprenticeship)
Career & Technical Education (CTE) Coordinator, Austin Hofer, was present to report on Industry-Recognized Credentials (ICR) offered in the District. Hofer explained the current offerings through the High School and the Technical Incentive Grant. He also provided information on Internship & Youth Apprenticeship programs. Joining him were High School students Kaylin Forsythe, Bryce Machotka, and Elena Shore, who shared their experiences with ICR and Work-Based Learning.
5. Board Business & Possible Board Action
A. Presentation and possible approval of R-3, Self-Directed Complex Thinkers Monitoring Report
Director of Instruction (4K-6), Kate Dabetic; Director of Instruction (7-12), Chris Smith; Director of Student Services, Dyanna Kadrich; and Emily Hendricks, Academic & Career Planning Coordinator, presented the monitoring report for Board policy R-3, Self-Directed Complex Thinkers. They presented the report as making progress toward achieving the desired results.
Highlights include:
- Positive Trends: The majority of performance measures were either met or demonstrated an increase.
- Specific Gains: Student scores increased in the areas of Academic and Career Planning, Preparation, and Drive.
- Effective Monitoring: The district successfully utilized the student engagement survey, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) rubrics within Skyward, and Academic and Career Plans to actively track and support student progress.
There is an opportunity for growth in the following area:
- Writing: Writing remains a primary focus for continuous improvement, as the current district ACT Writing score is slightly below the state average.
On a motion by Taylor, seconded by Leonhart, the DeForest Area School District Board of Education voted to accept R-3, Self-Directed Complex Thinkers Board Policy Monitoring Report, as making reasonable progress toward achieving the desired results, as presented. The vote passed with a unanimous voice vote.
On a motion by Coker, seconded by Sarr, the DeForest Area School District Board of Education voted to approve R-3, Self-Directed Complex Thinkers Board Policy Monitoring Report, as making reasonable progress toward achieving the desired results, as presented. The vote passed with a unanimous voice vote.
B. Review potential indicator revisions for Board Policy R-3, Self-Directed Complex Thinkers Monitoring Report
The Board discussed a potential indicator revision which would monitor the total percent of students from last year's graduating class that completes at least one of the following:
- Work-Based Learning
- Industry Recognized Credentials
- Dual Credit
- Advanced Placement Exam (3+ Score)
The indicator will be brought back for approval at a future Board meeting.
C. Gather input for summary statement for R-3, Self-Directed Complex Thinkers Monitoring Report
The Board provided input for the Governance Officers to create a summary statement for the R-3, Self-Directed Complex Thinkers Monitoring Report.
6. Public Input
None.
7. Board Consent Agenda
- Accept Minutes – February 9, 2026 & February 23, 2026
- Authorize DASD Board Clerk, Jeff Hahn to appoint Board of Canvassers for the Spring School Board Election, April 7, 2026
- Approval of Education for Employment Plan
- Approval of Summary Statements for Board Monitoring Reports for OE-6, OE-12, and OE-4
- Approval of revision to Board Policy OE-4, Personnel Administration
- Approve monitoring report indicator revisions for R-2, Numeracy, Other Courses, and Technology; OE-12, Facilities; OE-6 Financial Administration
Sarr made a motion, Taylor seconded, to approve the Board Consent Agenda. The motion was approved by a unanimous voice vote.
8. Superintendent Consent Agenda
A. Personnel Recommendations
Certified Staff Recommendations for Board Approval
I. Separations:
- Mary Ellingson, Health Teacher Harvest, retirement effective 6/9/2026
- Nathaniel Engh Stein, Special Education Teacher Harvest, resignation effective 6/9/2026
- Dave Sisler, 4th Grade Harvest, retirement effective 6/9/2026
- Laurie Keyes, 1st Grade Teacher WES, retirement effective 7/23/2026
- Lydia Schutz, Kindergarten Teacher WES, resignation effective 6/9/2026
II. Appointments:
- Matthew Paris, Principal Harvest, replacing Roy Bernards
III. Other:
- Rebecca Stolpa, Special Education Teacher Harvest, leave for 2026-27 school year
Other Administrative Actions
I. Separations:
- Emily Phillips, Food Service Assistant DAHS, resignation effective 2/12/2026
- Doug Powell, Head Custodian DAHS, resignation effective 3/6/2026
- Sue Anderson, Recess WES, resignation effective 3/9/2026
- Shua Cha, Head Custodian WES, resignation effective 2/11/2026
- Eric Hemp, Custodian YES, resignation effective 3/5/2026
II. Appointments:
- Jeffrey Smith, Special Education Van Driver DO, replacing Dawn Kuhn
III. Other: None.
B. Vouchers Payable/Treasurer's Report
Paid: 211878–211964, 252601866–252602138, 202500296–202500422
Sarr made a motion, Taylor seconded, to approve the Superintendent's Consent Agenda. The motion was approved by a unanimous voice vote.
9. Press Verification
No member of the press was present at this time.
10. Board Debrief
11. Adjourn
The Board of Education adjourned at 7:03 p.m. on a motion by Berg, seconded by Leonhart, and passed unanimously by voice vote.
DASD BOE President Signature: ___________________________
Date: ___________________________
B. Approve annual WI School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative 66.0301 Agreement
Wisconsin School Nutrition
Purchasing Cooperative
| DATE: | March 6, 2026 |
|---|---|
| TO: | Member District of the Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative |
| FROM: | Advisory Board of the Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative |
| SUBJECT: | 2026-2027 SY 66.0301 Agreement |
WiSNP Co-op 2026-2027 Agreement Packet – Cover Letter
The attached packet for the Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative includes:
- Resolution
- 66.0301 Agreement (sign and return)
- Proposed Annual budget for WiSNP Co-op
- Membership Listing
- Governance and Bylaws of the WiSNP Co-op
NOTE:
- The Resolution must be approved and signed by your school board.
- Annual Membership Dues are $300 per district and will be invoiced after July 1, 2026.
-
Return completed and signed 66.0301 Agreement (pages 1-3) by May 15, 2026 to:
— or —
MCPASD School Nutrition Services
WiSNP Co-op
2130 Pinehurst Drive
Middleton, WI 53562
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of the 2025-26 SY Board of Directors:
Executive Board
Executive Chair………………
Monica Glorioso, Hartford Union High School District
Procurement Specialist…….
Sarah Carlson, ProTeam Foodservice Advisors
Fiscal Agent Representative
Janelle Piddington, Middleton Cross Plains School District
Advisory Board
Co-Chairs
Procurement & Order Guide Committee….
Karen Fochs, Wausau, thru SY26
Adam Dunnington, Deerfield (completing term thru SY28)
Communication, Education, & Networking…
Michelle Denk, Mount Horeb (term 1 thru SY27)
District Representatives
Large District………………
Liz Leedle, School District of Janesville (thru SY26)
Medium District……………
Sheila Price, Watertown Unified School District (thru SY27)
Small District………………
Janet Loeffelholz, Cuba City School District (thru SY28)
Resolution
Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative
Whereas the school districts as listed on the Membership page of this document (Member Districts) desire to enter into a cooperative relationship to (1) reduce their respective costs in purchasing food, beverages, supplies, and USDA Foods processing, storage and transportation services for use in the Member Districts' Child Nutrition Programs for the school year and beyond, and (2) to educate representatives from Member Districts (Member Representatives) with regard to ongoing Child Nutrition Program challenges and regulations, and (3) to make the most efficient use of power by enabling them to cooperate with each other on a basis of mutual advantage;
It is hereby resolved that the school boards of the Member Districts of the Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative (WiSNP) shall share the cost for a Procurement Specialist, plus reasonable and necessary expenses, through administrative fees paid through approved vendor agreements and through membership dues, pursuant to Section 66.0301 of the Wisconsin Statutes.
Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative Agreement
(Wis. Stat. § 66.0301)
July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027
Pursuant to a Resolution adopted by the school boards of the school districts participating in the Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative (WiSNP Co-op) to cooperatively procure and purchase food and supplies for the member district's Child Nutrition Program(s): participating school districts (Member Districts) hereby mutually agree, pursuant to Section 66.0301 of the Wisconsin Statutes, to the following conditions:
- Procurement. That said parties agree to retain a school nutrition Procurement Specialist to coordinate the bidding and procurement process for the WiSNP Co-op as hereinafter set forth.
- Fiscal Agent. That the school district listed below shall serve as the operator and fiscal agent (Fiscal Agent) for the WiSNP Co-op. All receipts and expenditures shall be recorded in said district's records. As Fiscal Agent, said district shall:
- Maintain necessary records for WiSNP Co-op and establish and maintain financial accounts in accordance with uniform financial accounting systems prescribed by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) under Wis. Stat. § 115.28(13);
- File all required financial reports with the DPI;
- Upon request of the DPI, file a copy of this Agreement and any plan of operation (WiSNP Co-op Governance & Bylaws) with the DPI; and
- Be authorized to pay necessary bills and collect fees.
- State Aid. This Agreement shall not impact the Member Districts' pupil membership for state aid purposes.
- Administrative Fees and Membership Dues. That the proration of costs will be collected through administrative fees from approved vendor agreements based on purchase volume of each Member District and annual membership dues. That proration of costs to each Member District shall be determined prior to June 30, annually.
- Approval of Budget and Bylaws. That the estimated budget and the WiSNP Co-Op Governance & Bylaws shall be approved by the school boards of all Member Districts in advance of signing this Agreement.
- Budget Variation Approval. That variations from the budget will require prior approval by the school boards of all Member Districts hereto. However, this process shall not interfere with the allocation, reimbursement, collection, or payment of costs under this Agreement.
- Incorporated Documents. That attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference are the authorizing Resolution, Budget, and the WiSNP Co-op Governance & Bylaws.
- Term and Dissolution. This Agreement shall take effect on July 1 and shall remain in effect until June 30 of the respective school year. This Agreement may be terminated prior to the end of the Term if the school boards of the Member Districts mutually consent to such termination in writing. The school board of any Member District may terminate their participation in the Agreement prior to the end of the Term by providing notice, in writing, to the Fiscal Agent who shall notify the other Member Districts of that Member District's intended termination. Upon termination of this Agreement by one (1) or more Member Districts, those Member Districts shall continue to pay their share of the costs associated with this Agreement until all costs have been paid.
- Breach of Agreement. If any Member District defaults or breaches any of its obligations set forth under this Agreement, the other Member Districts shall have the right to pursue all remedies available at law or in equity. Any failure to enforce a default or breach of this Agreement shall not be, nor be construed to be, a waiver of that default or obligation, nor shall it act as a modification or amendment to this Agreement.
- Waivers, Modifications, Amendments, Changes. No waiver, modification, amendment, or any other change to or allegation of this Agreement shall be valid unless the same is in writing and signed by authorized representatives of the Member Districts. In the event that the Member Districts choose to modify, amend, or supplement this Agreement, any additional covenants shall be reduced to writing, appended to this Agreement, and given full force and effect. The Member Districts also recognize, however, that in initiating and implementing a cooperative agreement, issues and matters of mutual concern may arise from time to time that could not reasonably be addressed by this Agreement and that are intended to be resolved through the continuing and ongoing good faith efforts of the Member Districts; in such event, the Member Districts expressly acknowledge that this Agreement is not necessarily breached when new, unanticipated issues not governed by its terms arise, or where issues that are pending or are otherwise unresolved at the time of its initial execution are intended to be resolved at a later time by the Member Districts.
- Entire Agreement. This Agreement and all incorporated documents is a full and complete agreement and there are no other terms except those expressly set forth herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, whether oral or written.
- Savings Clause. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or declared invalid, illegal, or unenforceable under any law applicable thereto, such provision shall be deleted from this Agreement without impairing the legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement. The Member Districts will promptly negotiate a replacement for any provision that is deleted from the Agreement under this Paragraph.
- Governing Law. The laws of the State of Wisconsin shall govern the interpretation or application of this Agreement, and the rights and responsibilities of the Member Districts under this Agreement.
- Indemnification. Each Member District shall be solely responsible and liable for the act(s) and omission(s) of its own entity, officers, employees, officials, agents, representatives and members. Each Member District shall and hereby does indemnify and hold harmless the other from any and all damages, liability, judgments, claims, expenses, fees, costs, actions, demands, and payments of any kind and nature arising from and/or pertaining to the act(s) and/or omission(s) of its own entity, officers, employees, officials, agents, representatives, and members with respect to this Agreement.
Agreement Signatures
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date indicated below:
Fiscal Agent Signature of Approval
Middleton Cross Plains Area School District – Fiscal Agent District
Authorizing Signature
Date
Printed Name: Jerrud Rossing
Title: Assistant Superintendent of Operations
School District Signature of Approval
School District
Board President Signature
Date
Board President Printed Name
Board Clerk Signature
Date
Board Clerk Printed Name
School District Representative
School District Representative to serve as the primary point-of-contact for WiSNP Co-op communications:
Member District Representative Printed Name
Email Address
Phone Number
2026-2027 WiSNP Agreement 3 of 3
Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative
2026-2027 Proposed Annual Budget
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchased Services | $131,000 |
| Member Meetings & Trainings | 10,000 |
| Operational Expenses | 3,000 |
| Total Expenses | $144,000 |
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administrative Fees* | $140,500 |
| Membership Dues** | 19,500 |
| Interest | 5,000 |
| Total Revenue | $165,000 |
*Approved vendor agreements state that Administrative Fees will be paid by the Vendor to the Fiscal Agent based on purchase volume of each participating school district.
**Membership Dues for the 2026-27 SY are $300 per district and will be invoiced by the Fiscal Agent after July 1, 2026.
Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative
2026-2027 SY Member School Districts
- Adams Friendship
- Almond Bancroft
- Benton
- Big Foot Union High School
- Brillion
- Cambridge
- Campbellsport
- Cassville
- Columbus
- Cuba City
- D C Everest Area
- Deerfield
- DeForest
- Dodgeville
- East Troy
- Fall River
- Fort Atkinson
- Germantown
- Hartford Jt. 1
- Hartford Union High School
- Highland
- Janesville
- Jefferson School District
- Johnson Creek
- Kewaskum
- Kiel
- Lake Mills
- Lakeside Lutheran High School
- Lomira
- Marshfield
- Mayville
- McFarland
- Menomonee Falls
- Menominee Indian
- Middleton Cross Plains
- Milton
- Mishicot
- Monona Grove
- Mount Horeb
- Necedah
- Norwalk Ontario Wilton
- Oregon School District
- Port Edwards
- Potosi
- Poynette
- Prairie du Chien
- Princeton
- Randolph
- Random Lake
- Rio
- River Valley
- Rosholt
- Sauk Prairie
- Sharon Community Schools
- Sheboygan Falls
- Slinger
- Sun Prairie
- Valders
- Verona
- Watertown
- Wausau
- Wautoma
- West Bend
- Westfield
- Wisconsin Rapids
Governance & Bylaws of the
Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative
Revised and Approved 02/20/2025
I. Purpose
The purpose of the Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative (WiSNP Co-op) is to leverage the purchasing power of all Member Districts, regardless of size, to procure quality products and services for the benefit of their School Nutrition Programs.
II. Governance
- Membership is open to Wisconsin school districts with a self-operated, federally funded Child Nutrition Program.
- A Member Representative employed by each Member District shall serve as the primary and authorized representative of the District in all matters relating to the Member District's obligations hereunder.
- A Board of Directors (Board) shall be selected by Member Representatives to make business and organizational decisions for WiSNP Co-op.
- A fiscal agent (Fiscal Agent) shall manage WiSNP Co-op funds.
- The WiSNP Co-op shall hold a minimum of three general membership meetings per year with the dates, times, and locations to be set by the Board.
- All Member Representatives and Board Members are required to disclose any potential personal, professional, or financial conflicts of interest that could influence their judgment in decision-making processes related to WiSNP Co-op contracts, vendors, or business dealings. In the event that a Member Representative or Board Member has a conflict of interest, that individual must recuse themselves from any discussions or decisions related to the matter.
- A quorum (51% or more) of the Member Districts is required to be present for a simple majority vote to be conducted for:
- Adopting governance rules or bylaws;
- Approval of Prime Vendor RFP award;
- Fee assessments to cover the WiSNP Co-op operating costs.
- A quorum (51% or more) of the Advisory Board is required to be present for a simple majority vote to be conducted for:
- Setting the annual budget and dues;
- New district membership;
- Member District termination;
- Decisions with financial impact to WiSNP Co-op.
- Election of Board positions shall be by simple majority vote of represented Member Districts.
- Votes may be cast in person or by approved electronic means. Member Districts may participate by any lawful communication means or in person.
- When a Member District vote is required, only one (1) vote per Member District is allowed.
- Individuals identified as the Member Representative for more than one Member District will be permitted a vote for each Member District.
- Member Representatives serving on the Executive Board shall maintain Member District voting rights.
- The fiscal year of the WiSNP Co-op shall be July 1 to June 30 of the succeeding year.
- Director & Officer Liability Insurance will be carried by WiSNP Co-op and the deductible paid by WiSNP Co-op for any claims brought to Board Members.
III. Member Districts
- Member Districts shall be self-operated, federally funded Child Nutrition Programs. The operation of a Member District's Child Nutrition Program must comply with federal and state laws.
- All Member Districts shall abide by the WiSNP Co-op's Governing Rules and Bylaws as adopted.
- All Member Districts shall participate in and agree to the terms of WiSNP Co-op's Prime Vendor contract. Member Districts may also participate in available optional RFPs.
- Member Districts shall provide the Board and any WiSNP Co-op independent contractors information and documentation necessary for WiSNP Co-op to conduct its business.
- Any District may apply to become a member of the WiSNP Co-op.
- The Board has the right to deny membership based on factors that could negatively impact vendor agreements, contracted pricing, or operational efficiencies.
- If a USDA Foods distribution contract is in force and a new member is applying during this contract's existence, its membership may require the contracted distributor's approval.
- A current Member District may be terminated upon determination that the Member District no longer meets membership criteria as determined by the Board. A Member District whose membership has been terminated by the Board has the right to appeal the termination decision to the Member Districts at the next regularly scheduled membership meeting.
- Requests for termination of participation in the WiSNP Co-op may be made in writing with at least thirty (30) calendar days' notice. No refunds of participation fees will be made. Terminated Members Districts may not apply to participate in WiSNP Co-op until the next Prime Vendor RFP bidding cycle.
- It is the Member District's responsibility to have the specific contract(s) approved by the Member District's board of education (or other governing body as appropriate) to meet the State and Federal procurement requirements.
- All Member Districts shall pay the annual membership fee set by the Board within thirty (30) days of being invoiced. Invoices will be sent by the Fiscal Agent.
- Each Member District is responsible for compliance of products purchased, menus, and program operations for their Child Nutrition Program(s).
- It is every Member District's responsibility to actively manage its USDA Foods including ordering, distribution, processing, and inventories.
- Each Member District is responsible to report Member Representative contact changes to the Fiscal Agent.
- Each Member District is responsible for attending WiSNP Co-op meetings and reading communications in a timely manner.
IV. Board of Directors
- WiSNP Co-op shall establish a Board of Directors (Board).
- The Board shall consist of eight (8) individuals; five (5) voting and three (3) non-voting members.
- Only one (1) Representative from a Member District can serve on the Board at any given time.
- The Board may employ independent contractors to conduct WiSNP Co-op work.
- The Board shall meet as needed either in-person or virtually.
- Board Members missing consecutive meetings without notifying the Executive Chair may have their position deemed vacated and will be asked to step down from their role.
- The Board's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Develop strategic plan, goals, and objectives of the organization.
- Review and vote on new district applications.
- Responsibly manage the business affairs of WiSNP Co-op with the best interest of every Member District in mind.
- Approve product and service agreements.
- Set membership dues and approve the annual budget.
- Analyze and review purchases and product specifications.
- Bring proposed bylaw changes, fiscal matters, and elections to Member Districts for approval.
- Serve as a point of contact for Member Districts and review and take action on comments and concerns received.
- Keep Member Districts informed of WiSNP Co-op business.
- The Board shall consist of an Executive Board and an Advisory Board.
- The Executive Board consists of the non-voting members of the Board and shall be composed of an Executive Chair, Fiscal Agent, and Procurement Specialist to facilitate and execute the administration and operations of WiSNP Co-op.
- The Advisory Board consists of the voting members of the Board and shall be composed of two (2) Co-Chairs and three (3) District Representatives to advise and guide the work of WiSNP Co-op.
V. Executive Board
- The Executive Board is a sub-group within the Board of Directors.
- The Executive Board shall be composed of an Executive Chair, Fiscal Agent, and Procurement Specialist.
- The Executive Board facilitates and executes the administration and operations of WiSNP Co-op.
- Executive Board positions serve as non-voting members of the Board. Member Representatives maintain Member District voting rights.
- Executive Board positions may be filled by elected Member Representatives or independent contractors selected through an RFP.
- School districts of elected Member Representatives on the Executive Board shall receive compensation to offset employee time spent conducting WiSNP Co-op business during regular work hours.
- Compensation amounts and scope of work are agreed upon annually by the Advisory Board and the Executive Board Representative's District and/or the Independent Contractor through signed Agreements.
- Executive Board positions, if agreed upon by all parties, are ongoing or per the terms of the RFP.
- The Advisory Board reviews performance of each Executive Board Member and determines if annual agreements should be renewed.
- Executive Board Members wishing to leave their position at the end of the fiscal year shall inform the Advisory Board of intent by February 1.
- Advisory Board either makes renewal recommendation for the Member Representatives to vote on or seeks nominations for vacancies.
- If nominations of qualified internal candidates are not received, an RFP for an independent contractor will be posted.
- In the event of an unplanned vacancy in the Executive Board, the following shall occur:
- Executive Chair – the Advisory Board Co-Chairs shall serve as the Executive Chair until the Board can fill the vacancy.
- Fiscal Agent Representative – The Fiscal Agent's back-up designee shall fill the vacancy.
- Procurement Specialist – the Advisory Board Co-Chairs, under guidance from the Executive Chair, shall serve as the Procurement Specialist until the Board can fill the vacancy.
- Executive Chair
- The Executive Chair shall be selected by the Board and Member Districts to oversee WiSNP Co-op operations.
- The Executive Chair responsibilities shall be outlined in the annual Agreement and may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- See that the strategic plan and goals of the Board are carried into effect.
- Monitor and support the work of the entire Board and Committees.
- Serve as an authorizing agent for WiSNP Co-op contracts, agreements, and renewals.
- Inform Board Members and Member Districts of pertinent WiSNP Co-op business transactions.
- Lead and facilitate Board and WiSNP Co-op meetings.
- Ensure timelines are met.
- Fiscal Agent
- A fiscal agent (Fiscal Agent) shall be a Member District or Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) selected by the Board and Member Districts to manage WiSNP Co-op funds.
- The Fiscal Agent shall serve as custodian of all WiSNP Co-op fiscal, membership, and other records in accordance with applicable law and retain those records on behalf of the Member Districts until WiSNP Co-op dissolves.
- The Fiscal Agent shall maintain records in accordance with uniform financial accounting systems prescribed by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) under Wis. Stat. § 115.28(13).
- The Fiscal Agent shall file all required financial reports with the DPI.
- The Fiscal Agent shall, upon request, file a copy of the Agreement and these Bylaws with the DPI.
- All funds generated in excess of expenses shall stay with the WiSNP Co-op and its Member Districts.
- Administrative cost overruns and uncontrollable costs exceeding what was budgeted shall be reviewed by the Board to determine the nature and extent of the costs. The Board shall recommend if and how the costs will be allocated for Member Districts to vote on.
- The Fiscal Agent shall assign a representative (Fiscal Agent Representative) to serve on the WiSNP Co-op Board. A back-up designee should be identified to fulfill the duties in the event the Fiscal Agent Representative is unable.
- The Fiscal Agent responsibilities shall be outlined in the annual Agreement and may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Maintain Member list and Wis. Stat. § 66.0301 agreements.
- Invoice and collect membership fees.
- Receive and track administrative fees from vendor agreements.
- Pay cooperative's invoices.
- Track, collect, and distribute manufacturer incentive rebates to Member Districts.
- Procurement Specialist
- The Procurement Specialist shall be a Member Representative or independent contractor with extensive knowledge of Child Nutrition Program procurement and shall be selected by the Board and Member Districts to leverage the purchasing power of all Member Districts to procure quality products and services at the best price.
- The Procurement Specialist responsibilities shall be outlined in the annual Agreement and may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Execute the entire bid and proposal process for pricing and service contracts; includes writing and posting proposal documents and collecting and evaluating responses.
- Compile and analyze RFP results, purchase history data, and product evaluation data. Present and make recommendations to the Board.
- Serve as an authorizing agent for WiSNP Co-op contracts, agreements, and renewals.
- Manage contract compliance of WiSNP Co-op approved vendors and coordinate vendor and pricing audits.
- Serve as liaison between the Board and vendors, brokers, and manufacturers.
- Adhere to all state and federal statutes and purchasing regulations.
VI. Advisory Board
- The Advisory Board is a sub-group within the Board of Directors.
- The Advisory Board is composed of five (5) elected individuals from Member Districts: two (2) Co-Chairs and three (3) District Representatives.
- The Advisory Board are voluntary positions with established term lengths.
- The Advisory Board consists of the voting members of the Board.
- Co-Chairs
- There shall be two (2) Advisory Board Chairs (Co-Chairs) each leading a committee: Chair of Procurement & Order Guide Committee and Chair of Communication, Education, & Networking Committee.
- A Co-Chair shall have three (3) years of experience working in Child Nutrition programs and prior WiSNP Co-op Board or Committee experience.
- A Co-Chair serves a three (3) year term with a limit of two (2) consecutive terms.
- The start of Chair terms shall be staggered.
- A Co-Chair is eligible to fill other Board vacancies after their two (2) term limit is exhausted.
- The Executive Board reviews performance of Advisory Board Co-Chairs and determines if they should be nominated for renewal.
- A Co-Chair wishing to leave the position at the end of the first term shall inform the Executive Chair of intent by February 1.
- Executive Board either makes renewal recommendations for the Member Representatives to vote on or seeks nominations for vacancies.
- In the event of an unplanned vacancy of a Co-Chair position, the most senior District Representative shall serve as a Co-Chair until a new Co-Chair is elected.
- If the vacancy occurs in year one (1) of a Co-Chair term, the newly elected Co-Chair will complete the three (3) year term and be eligible for a second three (3) year term.
- If the vacancy occurs after the first year of a term, the newly elected Co-Chair will complete the end of the term of their predecessor and shall be eligible for election for a new two (2) term cycle.
- The Co-Chairs committee responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Procurement & Order Guide Committee:
- Review RFP process, language, and results of RFPs issued by Procurement Specialist.
- Make recommendations of manufacturers and items to purchase based on developed criteria using compiled and analyzed data from Procurement Specialist.
- Communication, Education, and Networking Committee:
- Record and disseminate minutes of Board and Membership Meetings.
- Organize shared files and website information.
- Coordinate and organize education opportunities for members and in-person meeting logistics.
- Develop materials to on-board new districts and directors to WiSNP.
- Procurement & Order Guide Committee:
- District Representatives
- There are three (3) District Representatives on the Advisory Board, one (1) from each of the three (3) Member District enrollment sizes:
- small (<1000 students);
- medium (1001–3000 students);
- large (>3000 students).
- District Representatives shall have three (3) years of experience working in Child Nutrition Programs.
- District Representatives serve a single three (3) year term with a new District Representative size voted in each year.
- District Representatives shall be elected by Member Districts of the corresponding district size.
- District Representatives are eligible to fill other Board vacancies after their term ends.
- In the event of an unplanned vacancy of a District Representative position, the Board shall seek nominations from the corresponding district group size and appoint an individual. The newly appointed representative will complete the end of the term of their predecessor and shall remain eligible for election of a new term.
- District Representatives assist in developing and implementing the strategic plan and help lead established or ad-hoc committees.
- There are three (3) District Representatives on the Advisory Board, one (1) from each of the three (3) Member District enrollment sizes:
Original Adoption: May 11, 2017
Revised: December 8, 2017; May 9, 2018; Jan 7, 2020; August 26, 2022; August 17, 2023; April 26, 2024; February 20, 2025
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf (opens in new tab) , from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
-
mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 - fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442 - email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Bylaws 7 of 7
.visually-hidden { position: absolute; width: 1px; height: 1px; padding: 0; margin: -1px; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0,0,0,0); white-space: nowrap; border: 0; }C. Approve revised District Neola Policies - Update 35.1
D. Approval of Board Summary Statement for R-3 Self-Directed Complex Thinkers Monitoring Report
2025-2026 Board Monitoring Report Summary Statements
R-3 Self-Directed Complex Thinkers
Presented:
Approved:
Summary Statement Approved:
The Board agrees with the Superintendent's assessment that the District is making reasonable progress toward the desired results for R-3 Self-Directed Complex Thinkers. The evidence presented showed that the level of the indicators being monitored were met or increased over previous years. The Board expressed some concern over the ACT writing score for 11th graders failing to exceed the statewide average, but applauded the number of steps taken to remediate this including the partnership with the Greater Madison Writing Project and the use of Quill in grades 6-12. The Board was particularly interested in how the district is using Parent Square to help parents help their students improve ACT writing scores and how many families and students are making use of the ACT prep offered online. The Board discussed having more education on 3.1 to see whether it fits the policy language. The Board was pleased to see the action plan implemented last year bearing fruit this year and appreciated having the SEL Rubrics for the High School and Middle School appended to the report. The indicator changes mentioned in the report made sense to the Board and those will be discussed at a future meeting. The Board recognizes the hard work of the staff and celebrates all the progress made.
OE-4 Personnel Administration
Presented: 02-09-26
Approved: 02-09-26
Summary Statement Approved: 03-09-26
The Board agrees with the Superintendent's designation of "In Compliance with Exception" and applauds all the hard work and improvements that have already occurred. The board recognizes the professionalism of the HR Department and commends the commitment to transparency exhibited by reporting a problem and its solution even though it was not identified in the DPI licensing audit. The Board was impressed by the presentation by Nate Jaeger, Director of Human Resources and particularly appreciated his grounding this year's monitoring report in the previous year's action plan which showed the continuity of effort and helped highlight the improvements and upward trend line of various measures. The three types of evidence used in the report – Are we doing the right things? Is it having the desired outcome? And how do people feel about those actions / outcomes -- are indicative of the district's focus on the whole employee. The Board appreciates administration's commitment to keeping compensation and benefits competitive both because as a means of retaining staff and eliminating the need to catch up in future years. The methods implemented to keep staff engaged and informed, such as rounding, and to strengthen the district culture are praiseworthy. The Board appreciates the recommendations to change the "may not" language in the current OE-4 Personnel Administration policy and will consider taking action on that at a future meeting. The Board may also consider the placement of this monitoring report on the annual calendar so that the survey data could be more current.
OE-6 Financial Administration
Presented: 01-26-26
Approved: 01-26-26
Summary Statement Approved: 03-09-26
The Board appreciated the slide presentation provided to the Board, as it was easy to read and understand. The Board appreciates the hard work that goes into managing the District's finances. The Board would like additional education on food service and debt collection to gain a better understanding of these areas. The Board recognizes the importance of advocacy for Fund 27 Special Education, as this is a significant statewide issue and an area in which the Board can be involved.
The Board understands this monitoring report is in compliance with exceptions noted and recognizes that the District has been proactive in addressing the identified issue(s).
OE-12 Facilities
Presented: 01-26-26
Approved: 01-26-26
Summary Statement Approved: 03-09-26
The Board appreciates the hard work the District is doing and its proactive approach, including the ongoing safety planning and the focus on building internal capacity so the District can handle more work in-house. The Board recognizes the progress reflected in this report and appreciates the continued attention to priorities driven by data.
The Board would like future indicators to include clear, understandable data that can be readily interpreted by the Board and the community. The Board also encourages Administration to refine indicators so they are the most impactful and directly support driving the District in the direction reflected in Board policy. In addition, the Board requests a facilities update prior to changes going into effect, especially those related to facility rentals.
Finally, the Board would like the action plan to be explicitly tied to the specific indicators and portions of the report it will most directly impact, so progress toward compliance (including noted exceptions) can be tracked clearly over time.
R-2 Academic Performance – Numeracy
Presented: 12-08-25
Approved: 12-08-25
Summary Statement Approved: 01-26-26
The board agrees with the Superintendent that the district is making reasonable progress in R-2 Numeracy and notes that while there are areas of improvement, some of the subgroups are still struggling. The board is confident that with the help of the math interventionist at the Middle School and math staff at the High School freed up – both using referendum dollars, that these student scores will improve especially when using a monitoring tool such as Fastbridge. The board discussed the possibility of separating math from the IT part of this result and agreed with staff that there has to be a better measure than asking students their perception of their skill level as good digital citizens. The board appreciates seeing the cohort data so that improvement over time for a group of students can be seen. The board asked that the data be presented in a format that was more accessible. The board applauds all the good work being done to improve the performance of all students.
R-2 Academic Performance – Literacy
Presented: 11-24-25
Approved: 11-24-25
Summary Statement Approved: 12-08-25
The Board agrees with the Superintendent that the district is making reasonable progress with the exceptions noted and notes that while there are areas where growth is being seen and progress is being made, there are still areas that need improvement. The board realizes that new programs such as Quill are being implemented which will not improve scores immediately. The Board looks forward to seeing improvements in the coming years as a result of these new programs and processes. The Board agrees with administration that the co-design/co-teaching approach should positively impact literacy learning for all students. The Board appreciates the hard work that is involved in bringing on new programs, new staff interventionists, and other training supports made possible by the passed referendum. The Board applauds the sense of partnership and ownership district staff has for making sure all students succeed.
OE-5 Financial Planning
Presented: 10-27-25
Approved: 10-27-25
Summary Statement Approved: 11-24-25
The Board concurs with administration that OE-5 is in compliance. The Board appreciates the detailed evidence provided in the report which shows how the district plans and communicates financial needs both internally and externally. The Board commends the forward-looking mindset of staff as they deal with growth in the district and begin planning for future growth.
OE-7 Asset Protection
Presented: 10-27-25
Approved: 10-27-25
Summary Statement Approved: 11-24-25
The Board agrees with administration and finds this report to be in compliance. The Board applauds the district for implementing the action plan in last year's monitoring report which has resulted in better collection of data, better forms, and better processes. The Board also applauds the interdepartmental collaboration shown in the report and in its presentation.
OE-2 Emergency Superintendent Succession
Presented: 08-11-25
Approved: 08-11-25
Summary Statement Approved: 08-25-25
The Board agrees with administration that OE-2 — Emergency Superintendent Succession — is in compliance. The Board appreciates the depth of the succession plan and that opportunities for those at the top of the list to work collaboratively has arisen. The Board believes this will result in a smooth transition should the need arise and recognizes the role the superintendent's approach to leadership has played to create this collaborative environment.
OE-8 Communicating with the Board
Presented:
Approved:
Summary Statement Approved:
R-4 Collaborative and Responsible Citizens
Presented:
Approved:
Summary Statement Approved:
OE-3 Treatment of Community Stakeholders
Presented:
Approved:
Summary Statement Approved:
OE-9 Communicating with the Public
Presented:
Approved:
Summary Statement Approved:
OE-11 Instructional Program
Presented:
Approved:
Summary Statement Approved:
OE-10 Learning Environment
Presented:
Approved:
Summary Statement Approved:
E. Approval of Certified Staff Notice of Annual Contract renewals
Administration is seeking approval from the Board to issue notices of contract renewal for the 2026-27 school year to all certified staff members who hold a contract subject to the provisions of Wis. Stat. 118.22. This excludes certified staff members with a one-year contract and individuals whom the Board has already taken specific action (such as approval of their retirement or resignation).
Wis. Stat. 118.22 Renewal of teacher contracts
(2) On or before May 15 of the school year during which a teacher holds a contract, the board by which the teacher is employed or an employee at the direction of the board shall give the teacher written notice of renewal or refusal to renew the teacher's contract for the ensuing school year. If no such notice is given on or before May 15, the contract then in force shall continue for the ensuing school year. A teacher who receives a notice of renewal of contract for the ensuing school year, or a teacher who does not receive a notice of renewal or refusal to renew the teacher's contract for the ensuing school year on or before May 15, shall accept or reject in writing such contract not later than the following June 15.
10. Superintendent Consent Agenda GC-2.4 (Approximately 5 minutes)
A. Personnel Recommendations: Appointments: Special Education Teacher, Harvest; Health Teacher, Harvest; Separations: Spanish Teacher (0.3 FTE), DAHS; School Nurse, DAMS/DAHS; School Psychologist, Harvest; 5th Grade Teacher, Harvest; 4th Grade Teacher, Harvest; Other: Occupational Therapist, 0.8 FTE to 1.0 FTE; District Mentor, Continuation of 0.8FTE/0.2FTE job share
B. Vouchers Payable/Treasurer's Report
Voucher Summary Report
DeForest Area School District
500 S Cleveland Ave, DeForest, WI 53532
Board Meeting Date: April 13, 2026
Voucher Dates: 3/3/26 – 4/9/2026
Check/ACH Number(s):
General: 211965 – 212040
ACH: 252602140 – 252602479
Wire: 202500373 – 202500499
| Fund # | Fund Name | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | General Fund | $3,753,442.85 |
| 21 | Donations & Gifts | $63,952.36 |
| 27 | Special Education | $122,707.21 |
| 39 | Debt Service | $0.00 |
| 41 | Capital Projects | $0.00 |
| 46 | Capital Projects-Trust | $0.00 |
| 49 | Capital Projects-Referendum | $0.00 |
| 50 | Food Service Fund | $101,786.11 |
| 62 | DMS Student Activity | $0.00 |
| 64 | DHS Student Activity | $0.00 |
| 72 | Scholarships-Private Benefit | $0.00 |
| 73 | Employee Benefit Trust Fund | $7,772.19 |
| 80 | Community Service Fund | $500.00 |
| 96 | Student Events | $13,904.31 |
| 97 | Athletic Co-ops | $34,385.63 |
| 99 | Carl Perkins Consortium | $0.00 |
| Total Fund(s) Disbursement for the Period | $4,098,450.66 | |
11. Press Verification
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12. Convene into Closed Session
The Board will go into a closed session pursuant to ....
13. Reconvene into Open Session
The public open session continues ...
14. Further discussion or action related to Closed Session business
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