NORTHLAND PINES SCHOOL DISTRIC T ( One week 2/5/25 ) Regular Board Meeting Minutes of Monday, December 16, 2024 Opening of Meeting at 6:00 pm Call to Order: The Regular Board Meeting of the Northland Pines Board of Education was called to order by Jennifer Payne, Board President, on Monday, December 16, 2024, at six o’clock p.m. (6:00 p.m.) in the Northland Pines Middle and High School Large Group Instruction Room, Eagle River, Wisconsin. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Note: This meeting was streamed live via the district’s YouTube site. Roll Call, Establish a Quorum Attending: 1. Erica Lane, Board Clerk 2. Becky Nordine, Board Treasurer 3. Jennifer Payne, Board President 4. Chris Petreikis, Board Vice President 5. Nick Seeger, Board Member Absent: 1. Kelly Roach, Board Member 2. Chelsea Romaker, Board Deputy Clerk Also present were the following: 1. Scott Foster, District Administrator 2. Emily Rhode, Director of Special Education & Pupil Services 3. Gretchen Smart-Hall, Principal, Eagle River Elementary School 4. Brooke Johnson, Assistant Principal, Eagle River Elementary School 5. Sue McKay, Director of Teaching & Learning 6. Dan Marien, Principal, Middle & High School 7. Tony Duffek, Principal, St. Germain Elementary & Northland Pines Montessori Learning Center 8. Carie Nordine, Principal, Land O’Lakes Elementary & SOAR Middle School 9. Harlan Leusink, Principal, SOAR High School & Technology Director 10. Ashley Heid, Social Media & Public Relations Specialist 11. Susie Block, Executive Assistant to the District Administrator & Board of Education There were fifteen (15) citizens in attendance. Open Meeting Verification: Jennifer Payne announced the meeting had been duly called. Meeting notices were sent to the following locations: Northland Pines Middle School & High School in Eagle River; Northland Pines Elementary Schools in Eagle River, Land O’Lakes and St. Germain; Vilas County Courthouse - Eagle River; Eagle River City Hall; Vilas County News Review-Eagle River; WERL/WRJO Radio Station-Eagle River. Approval of Agenda: Motion by Erica Lane to approve the agenda as presented and leave the order to the discretion of the Chair. Second by Becky Nordine. Voice vote 5-0. Motion carried. Public Participation Section of the Meeting: 1. Shirley Kufeldt read a letter to the Board, noting that Margo Sherren had already shared with DA Foster and the Board, regarding opposition to the 2024 Title IX proposed changes by the Federal Department of Education. 2. Cody Vojta and Owen Frenz spoke in opposition of the current policy on phones, ear buds and smart watches and in support of a petition they had started which requested that the District go back to allowing students to have and use these items during the school day. Presentations: 1. Northland Pines High School students shared an update on their recent participation in the Great Northern Conference Sportsmanship Summit held at Northland Pines and led by Activities Director Zayia and our local student group SALT (Student Athlete Leadership Team). 2. Northland Pines teachers presented their reflections on the District Continuous Improvement Team and process. Board Member Kelly Roach arrived at 6:08 p.m. and joined the meeting. Board Committee minutes – no action was taken: 1. DA Foster introduced School Resource Officer (SRO) Chad Christensen to the Board and welcomed him to the District in this role. SRO Christensen replaced SRO Matt Wilson; Wilson was promoted to Lieutenant but still coordinates the SRO’s, so that also helps with continuity of the great service they provide to us. 2. DA Foster reported that our Social Studies/ELA teachers are starting a new collaborative event which will be a 7th Grade Presentation on Tuesday, April 15 from 1-3 p.m, and they have asked if any board members would like to volunteer to help with this event. The event will be similar to the Senior Capstone presentations. Any board member who wishes to volunteer can let us know or contact the Social Studies/ELA teachers to let them know. 3. Board Member Chris Petreikis, who is also now the President of the CESA Board of Control, recognized DA Foster for his volunteer efforts, noting that he often hears at his CESA meetings about how much DA Foster volunteers for various community events and/or to host meetings here at Pines. 4. Board Member Chris Petreikis requested that the Policy, Curriculum, Education & Activities Committee put on their next meeting agenda to review the policy [Policy 5518] which the students referred to in their petition request; President Payne (who is also Chair of the Policy Committee) indicated we will add it to the next policy agenda for discussion. 5. Board Member Kelly Roach announced that she will not be seeking re-election in April when her term expires; she is giving Susie Block her “Notification of Non-candidacy” tonight. Board Member Roach thanked the Board for their service and expressed her appreciation in working with all of them for the past three years. [Kelly Roach holds the board seat Member At Large #2.] 6. Board Member Nick Seeger announced that he has filed his Declaration of Candidacy and Campaign Finance Statement and is seeking to be elected in April to his board seat of Area D: Town of Plum Lake. [Nick Seeger was appointed by the Board on February 26, 2024, to fulfill the term of a board member who resigned and did not complete the term.] 7. Written minutes of board committee meetings were shared in BoardDocs for the public to view. Consent Agenda : Motion by Chris Petreikis to approve all items contained in the consent agenda. Following is a list of the items contained in the consent agenda: 1. To dispense with the reading of the Regular Meeting Minutes of November 18, 2024, and approve the meeting minutes as presented. 2. To approve the payment of all district wide checks pursuant to the summary check register of 11/16/24 - 12/15/24 in the amount of $1,477,592.01, as presented. 3. To deny the Open Enrollment IN alternative applications for students #13 & #14; and further, to approve Student #27 Open Enrollment OUT application, all to be effective for the 2024-2025 school year. 4. To approve the new course titled “Drama as Literature” for the Middle and High School beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. 5. To approve the Memorandums of Understanding as presented for the following Providers: “Stamper Counseling” and “Phoenix Counseling”, and to direct and authorize the District Administrator to finalize and sign the MOU’s. Second by Erica Lane. Voice vote 6-0. Motion carried. Discussion & Action items : State School Report Cards – no action was taken: Director of Teaching & Learning Sue McKay updated the Board and Community on the recent release of the State Report Cards, which were also shared in BoardDocs for the public to view. Local School Report Cards – no action was taken: Director of Teaching & Learning Sue McKay updated the Board and Community on the recent release of the Local Report Cards, which were also shared in BoardDocs for the public to view. School Calendar: Motion by Jennifer Payne to approve the 2025-2026 School Calendar, as presented. Second by Chris Petreikis. Voice vote 6-0. Motion carried. Referendum Update: DA Foster updated the Board on the District’s process of how we get information out to our residents through public informational meetings, staff presentations, bulk mailer to all residents, publishing notices in the Vilas County News Review [which is the District’s official newspaper], and DA Foster does radio and TV interviews as well. DA Foster noted that staff presentations will occur in December and the public presentations will be held in January and early February. The Referendum vote will occur at the Primary Election on February 18, 2025. Written Reports – no action was taken: • Administrative reports were shared in BoardDocs in public view. • School Resource Officers reports were shared in BoardDocs in public view. District Administrator’s report – no action was taken: DA Foster reported on the following topics: • Inclement Weather Guidelines for 2024-2025 • Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) • Speak Up Speak Out (SUSO) Annual Report Closed Session: Motion by Jennifer Payne to convene in Closed Session pursuant to: 1. Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(c) to consider the renewal of Administrator Contracts; 2. Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(c) to discuss the contracts of two certified staff members; 3. Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(c) to discuss resignations of certified staff members and any potential liquidated damages; 4. Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(d) to discuss the District's Safety Plan and drill logs, noting that the Board may take action in closed session. Second by Kelly Roach. Roll call vote: Erica Lane, yes; Becky Nordine, yes; Jennifer Payne, yes; Kelly Roach, yes; Chris Petreikis, yes; Nick Seeger, yes. Motion carried. Reconvene to open session: Motion by Erica Lane to reconvene to open session to take such action as is deemed appropriate following consideration given in closed session. Second by Nick Seeger. Voice vote 6-0. Motion carried. Actions taken after reconvening Resignations: • Motion by Chris Petreikis to approve accepting the resignation of Nicole Stern effective December 20, 2024, and to assess liquidated damages in the amount of $3,075.00 pursuant to her contract, as presented. Second by Jennifer Payne. Voice vote 6-0. Motion carried. • Motion by Chris Petreikis to approve accepting the resignation of Nikki Garrison, effective at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Second by Erica Lane. Voice vote 6- 0. Motion carried. Issue of a contract: • Motion by Jennifer Payne to approve the issue of a certified staff contract to Alena Holman for the position of First Grade teacher, prorated accordingly utilizing a start date of January 2, 2025, as presented. Second by Erica Lane. Voice vote 6-0. Motion carried. Adjournment: Motion by Erica Lane to adjourn. Second by Nick Seeger. Voice vote 6-0. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Susie Block Executive Assistant to the District Administrator & Board of Education 2728 WNAXLP