Five Year Structural Budget Deficit

Wisconsin will submit an application for the “Race to the Top” federal fund. The hope is that Wisconsin would receive $150-$250 million, but it is unclear how that money would be spent and which districts would be eligible.

Budget Deficit Workshop is scheduled for December 16^th from 5:30 – 10:00 p.m.

The board reviewed a Five-Year Budget Forecast Model which illustrates a consistent structural deficit. The District will need to cut operational costs by $1 million for each of the next five years.

Holly Elsberry, Monona Grove alum and current student teacher in the district, presented information on the White Privilege Conference which will be held in LaCrosse on April 7-11, 2010. She presented information on this conference because she feels that it provides a valuable learning experience and that our School District needs to put focus on understanding racial and cultural differences in the forefront in order to promote equity in our schools.

The Board conducted a variety of other board business, which can be found in the minutes on the district website.

Harassment Policy Finally Approved

Study on 4K-8 in each community will be presented to the board on December 22, 2009.

Discussion on class sizes, especially at the high school where last year the district spent $135,000 on overload pay for courses above the district guidelines. The administration suggests increasing some high school class size guidelines because they are smaller than middle school size guidelines. This is being discussed as a budgetary issue and an equity issue.

Board Policy #114 – Harassment – School Board Members, Volunteers, and Other Community Members of the MGSD. The board approved new language for this policy. (Susan Manning voted nay, and requested that the minutes reflect her continued concern with the conflict of interest she believes is created for the Superintendent under this version of the Administrative Rule.)

Superintendent Gerlach laid out the timeline and process for budget discussions. The board will meet on December 16, 2009 for a budget workshop. There will also be public hearings and staff meetings relative to the budget.

The Board conducted a variety of other board business, which can be found in the minutes on the district website.