West Bend School District

The session focused exclusively on long-range facility planning, reviewing feedback gathered from staff and community engagement sessions held in April. Key discussion points included community alignment with the district's facilities vision, emphasizing safety, security, efficiency, and consolidation. Specific elements of the long-range plan reviewed involved the replacement of Jackson, right-sizing by closure, and addressing learning environments, particularly undersized rooms at the high school. Feedback also centered on general support for the long-range plan, despite concerns over school closures, and significant appreciation for the data-driven and transparent approach taken. Detailed questions arose regarding the proposed K8 programming at the new Jackson facility, changes to grade levels at Silverbrook and Badger schools to reduce transitions, and significant sticker shock regarding potential project costs, such as a projected $100 million. There were also consistent requests for continued transparency and diversified communication strategies to reach all community members, including non-tech-savvy residents.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the agenda. Student representatives presented recent achievements and upcoming events. Public participation focused heavily on discussions regarding teacher compensation and negotiations with the WBEA. The consent agenda, covering previous meeting minutes, various contracts, resignations, retirements, and course requests, was approved. In reports, construction updates detailed an application submitted to the city plan commission for upgraded drop-off and loading dock areas at Green Tree and Silverbrook, respectively, pending a traffic impact analysis. The financial report indicated gas costs were running over budget due to cold weather, offset by lower electricity costs, while revenue and expenditures were on track. The Superintendent's report covered district highlights. The primary discussion item involved reviewing feedback gathered from community engagement sessions regarding high school configuration, with key themes centering on protecting student participation in athletics and academics, preserving traditions, and ensuring fiscal responsibility. The Board directed that survey data be separated by stakeholder category and posted online.

The board work session focused on long-range facilities planning, serving as a preview for an upcoming community session. Key topics included reviewing community feedback from previous sessions, which aligned with the board's vision for facilities. Discussions covered district size, facility age, declining enrollment projections, and potential referendum funding sources related to the mill rate. The session detailed the concept of right-sizing the district by analyzing building conditions and educational adequacy scores, suggesting potential closures for facilities like Dora, Fair Park, and Ross, while proposing the replacement of Jackson Elementary School. Attendees also reviewed phased implementation, identifying Phase One priorities: improving safety and security (specifically at Green Tree, Mlan, and the high schools), addressing capital maintenance needs, right-sizing via facility closure, and replacing Jackson Elementary. Financial assumptions for projected costs, including inflation and a potential project start date of March 2026, were outlined.

This document presents an update on student engagement and behavior, detailing both short-term and long-term goals for student conduct. It emphasizes adherence to the 'WBSD Way Pillars'—Be Ready to Learn, Be Responsible, Be Respectful, and Be Safe—as foundational to achieving desired outcomes. Key objectives include increasing the number of students with 0-1 Major Office Referrals in the Respectful Pillar to 93% by the end of the 2025-2026 school year and ensuring 85% of all students have 0-1 Major Office Referrals and 95% have less than 5 by the same period, attributing progress to clear expectations, consistent responses, family engagement, and early intervention.

This document presents a detailed financial analysis and enrollment projections for high schools, spanning from 2025 to 2038. It includes comparative data for various high schools, and a breakdown of projected savings, costs, and long-term financial implications related to high school configuration initiatives.