Wisconsin School News - December 2014 by WASB

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December 2014 | Volume 69 Number 6 T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E W I S C O N S I N A S S O C I AT I O N O F S C H O O L B O A R D S, I N C.

John H. Ashley Executive Editor

Sheri Krause Director of Communications

Shelby Anderson Editor n REGIONAL OFFICES n 122 W. Washington Avenue Madison, WI 53703 Phone: 608-257-2622 Fax: 608-257-8386 132 W. Main Street Winneconne, WI 54986 Phone: 920-582-4443 Fax: 920-582-9951

THREE SUCCESSFUL DISTRICTS SHARE THEIR REFERENDUM COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES..., page 8

n ADVERTISING n 608-556-9009 • tmccarthy@wasb.org n WASB OFFICERS n

Executive Director

Mike Blecha Green Bay, Region 3 President

Wanda Owens

Patricia Greco, Ph.D.

Using the LEAN Six Sigma system to drive continuous improvement in school leaders and staff

John H. Ashley

Barneveld, Region 9 1st Vice President

Learning to LEAN

Stu Olson Shell Lake, Region 1 2nd Vice President

Successful Referendums Start with Communication

Climate Control Kathleen Vail Ten ways to make your schools great places to work and learn

Why Doesn’t Batman Ever Smile?

Shelby Anderson

Rosaline Wiseman

School leaders describe how communication efforts helped pass their referendums

Examining boys’ social dynamics and emotional well-being

Nancy Thompson Waterloo, Region 12 Immediate Past President n WASB BOARD OF DIRECTORS n Capt. Terry McCloskey, USN Retired Three Lakes, Region 2 Bill Yingst, Sr. Durand, Region 4

Alice Marquardt Rio, Region 10 Vacant Region 11

Rick Eloranta Owen-Withee, Region 5

Patrick Sherman Genoa City J2/Lake Geneva, Region 13

Mary Jo Rozmenoski Black River Falls, Region 6

Terrence Falk Milwaukee, Region 14

Elizabeth Hayes Fond du Lac, Region 7

Ron Frea Pewaukee, Region 15

Steve Klessig Brillion, Region 8 Wisconsin School News (USPS 688-560) is published 10 issues per year by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards Inc., 122 W. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703. Contents © 2014 Wisconsin Association of School Boards Inc. Subscriptions are available to nonmembers for $40 per year. Periodicals postage is paid at Madison, Wis. The views expressed in Wisconsin School News are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent WASB policies or positions. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wisconsin School News, 122 W. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI 53703.

Engaging Your Community to Build Student Opportunities

Tracy Habisch-Ahlin

Richard Gerver Change is a part of education and always will be

Community engagement is more than a “feel good” strategy

D E P A R T M E N T S

Leading Into the Unknown

C O L U M N S

2 News Briefs 3 Viewpoint — Policymaking is the Work of School Boards 23 Member Recognition — Recognizing Our School Leaders 24 Association News — WASB Fall Event Recaps 26 Legislative Update — GOP Increases Majorities 28 Legal Comment — Reporting Suspected or Threatened Child Abuse or Neglect 32 Service Associate Q&A — Al Jaeger of Associated Financial Group

NEWS BRIEFS Wisconsin Superintendents Attend White House Technology Summit

hillip Ertl, superintendent of the Wauwatosa School District, and Joe Sanfelippo, superintendent of the Fall Creek School District, were part of a group of just over 100 superintendents invited to the White House in November for the ConnectED to the Future Convening. The event gathered select “Future Ready” superintendents from across the country who have been recognized as successfully transitioning their districts to digital learning. These superintendents were recognized for demonstrating effective use of technology in some of the following ways: fostering and leading a culture of digital leadership; transitioning schools and families to highspeed connectivity; empowering educators with professional development activities; providing access to quality digital content; and, among others, creating access, equity, and excellence – particularly in rural, remote, and low-income districts. The event connected exemplary superintendents to share lessons learned and help disseminate promising approaches across the nation.

n Standing Up for Rural Wisconsin Awards

his past fall, seven rural school districts from across the state received a Standing Up for Rural Wisconsin Schools, Libraries, and Communities award. The winning districts are recognized for a variety of programs and efforts, including, projects aimed at protecting the environment, growing and providing food, extending Internet access to students while in route to school, and much more. The award-winning projects are:

b A Little Dirt Never Hurt – Brodhead School District; b Wi-Fi on Rural Bus Routes – Webster School District; b CDM Manufacturing Pathways – Durand and Mondovi School Districts, Chippewa Valley Technical College;

b Florence County Library Community Upgrade Collaboration – Florence County Library and Florence School District;

b Green School Strategic Planning Action Team – Hurley School District; b It Takes a Village: Learning and Loving to Read – Northern Waters Literacy, Saint Croix Falls Elementary Library, and Reading Friends; and

b Eleva-Strum Community Support Network – Eleva-Strum School District. STAT OF THE MONTH

113 The number of standardized tests students in large districts take from pre-K to 12th grade. Source: Council of Chief State School Officers

Too Much Student Testing?

he Council of Chief State School Officers and the Council of the Great City Schools, conducted a survey to find out how much students are being tested in school. The survey, which was of large school districts, found that students take an average of 113 standardized tests between pre-K and their senior year of high school. Another, smaller study by the Center for American Progress examined 14 school districts and found that students from those districts grades 3-8 take an average of 10 (up to a high of 20) standardized assessments per year.

Wisconsin School News

“In some places, tests — and preparation for them — are dominating the calendar and culture of schools and causing undue stress for students and educators,” U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. School leaders, including Duncan, are beginning to question if students are being tested too much. In Florida, students need to pass standardized tests in algebra, geometry, civics, and U.S. history to graduate high school. That is in addition to the state standardized test in math and reading. “I watched tests take up 40 to 50 percent of the year,” said Kathleen

Jasper, a former assistant principal of a Florida high school. “Media centers were closed for the entire month of January. Laptops, every resource was sucked up into testing.” It is believed that some of the testing going on in some states may be redundant. The report from the Center for American Progress suggests that the Common Core assessments may help eliminate duplication.

VIEWPOINT

Jo h n H . A s h l e y

Policymaking is the Work of School Boards

olicymaking is one of a school board’s most important duties. Through policymaking, a school board defines its vision for the district, the structure for accomplishing its goal — including the allocation of resources, and the system of accountability for achieving those goals. Policies establish a legal record and standard of conduct for the school district. How a school board approaches its policymaking responsibility is a strong indicator of whether it is an effective board in a high-achieving district. According to the Center on Public Education, “Effective school boards are accountability driven, spending less time on operational issues and more time focused on policies to improve student achievement. In interviews with hundreds of board members and staff across districts, researchers … found that high-performing boards focused on establishing a vision supported by policies that targeted student achievement.” What kinds of decisions is your board making at board meetings? Are you focused on making policy-level decisions that affect student learning? If you are not, you may very well be focused instead on operational issues and the types of decisions that should be left to the individuals responsible for implementing board policies. Good policymaking takes work.

With all of the demands facing school districts, boards may be tempted to seek out quick fixes by purchasing ready-made policy manuals or simply borrowing policies written by other school districts. Be careful. Policymaking is the school board equivalent of passing legislation. School boards, administrators and staff have a legal obligation to follow the policies adopted by the board, which will not happen if those policies are not well understood by all. The courts will require school districts to comply with their policies and will hold those who fail to do so accountable. Purchased policy manuals and sample policies can be a useful starting point in the policymaking process. Boards might use sample policies as the basis for a discussion of what works best in their school district. There is nothing wrong with basing your policies on samples — provided that you understand the policies that you are adopting and have determined that they are the best choice for your district. But adoption of policies written by others without careful review is an abdication of a school board’s authority. Just as it’s not appropriate for a state legislature to adopt cookie-cutter legislation that doesn’t uniquely address the individual state’s circumstances and legal precedents, school boards should cautiously approach policy templates

to ensure that the final policy reflects the values of the school district and its community. Policies are not intended to be approved and sit on a shelf. You are never “done” with policymaking. It is a continuous-improvement, goal-setting process. Policies are the governance framework for the district. They provide direction to administration and staff on the dayto-day operation of the district, guide the board in its adoption of a district budget and its allocation of resources, and form the basis for the board’s evaluation of the district administrator and itself. State and federal laws change frequently and board policies must be reviewed and modified to keep current with those new laws. Review of existing policies and district efforts to achieve board goals for student achievement on a continuing basis is necessary. Boards must regularly ascertain if policies are being implemented as intended and if those policies continue to be right for the district. Again, policies are legal documents and the courts can hold districts liable for their implementation. How does your board approach its policymaking responsibility? The WASB stands ready to assist you in your policymaking process to ensure that you are a high-performing board focused on student achievement. n

What kinds of decisions is your board making at board meetings? Are you focused on making policy-level decisions that affect student learning?

December 2014

L E A R N I N G

Using the LEAN Six Sigma system to drive continuous improvement in school leaders and staff

he School District of Menomonee Falls (SDMF) is engaging all staff members in applying the principles of quality improvement into their work. The core mission of every public school is to ensure strong learning outcomes for children. School board members and school leaders spend thousands of hours discussing how to improve the context for learning. Learning to lead “LEAN” builds the capacity for improvement among all staff members and all divisions across the school district. It creates the conditions for staff members to

problem solve more effectively together. The focus is to learn to think, problem solve and trouble shoot more effectively so the core mission of student learning can be realized across the entire system. The concept of continuous improvement rests in every planning and improvement process. The major difference in a system committed to LEAN Six Sigma is the depth of skill development among all leaders and staff. The difference rests in knowing how to apply specific tools to the problem-solving process. The SDMF staff members and leaders are

| Patricia Greco, Ph.D. learning to think and respond differently to the problems faced on a daily basis. Through LEAN, we are multiplying the brain power of all of our staff members to improve our core processes, customer care, and the overall results of our work. School districts are complex organizations. We often focus on the skill development of our teachers to improve instruction. Rarely do systems focus on specifically improving how all staff members problem solve together. By infusing specific skill development to problem solve across all staff and divisions,

“I feel the continuous improvement process has given the entire district something to focus on and rally around. We are able to speak the same language. I find myself having conversations with others in the district and notice, even though we do completely different things, we are talking the same talk and using the same tools, it’s really cool.” — Gwen Husslein, accounts payable accountant, School District of Menomonee Falls

Wisconsin School News

we are building the capacity to work together and align resources more effectively. As a result, we can better align our resources to our core mission of student learning and service to our community. | The improvement Process

in Action Our administrative assistants and support staff members actively engage and take the lead in the problem-solving process. In most school districts, support staff members are rarely involved in professional development. Yet, these individuals are most often the staff members working most closely with district data and budgets, and are usually on the front end of experiencing where current processes are breaking down. By developing their skills to examine current processes and learning how to apply the problem-solving skills, the overall capacity of the system improves. Half of most district employees are not teachers or leaders. In most districts, half of the employees are custodians, food service workers, educational assistants, administrative assistants, and professional technical team members. The process of LEAN involves the staff closest to the work in improving the core processes of the system. Through LEAN, we are tackling our need for redoing work when the process breaks down the first time. This saves on staff time and allows us to refine our efforts to the priorities of the system. We can take on priorities and efficiently align our staff members rather than adding staffing to tackle new challenges to the system. | Plan, Do, Study, Act In a system committed to quality improvement, the Plan Do Study Act process is used as the primary method

December 2014

M E N O M O N E E FA L L S

MODEL FOR IMPROVEMENT

What are we trying to accomplish?

How will we know that a change is an improvement?

What changes can result in improvement?

ACT STUDY

PLAN DO

detail how the process currently works and where potential breakdowns may be occurring. They measure current performance, timeframes, delays, and/or errors that may be occurring. Members closely involved in the work analyze the data to determine specifically where breakdowns may be occurring within the current processes across the system. The action team identifies and then implements specific agreed-upon changes to determine if these steps actually improve the outcomes or results of the process. Once improved results are clear through the data collected, the team works to consistently implement the changes across the system to better control the future results. | Benefits of Engaging All Staff

in the Improvement Process In very real terms, the School District of Menomonee Falls is improving as an entire system. for our improvement process. Team members examine current performance. They “plan” key action steps the team believes will likely produce improved results. Members commit to “do” the action plan within a concentrated period of time; usually 45 days. Together they “study” the impact of their action steps. Finally the team determines how to “act” based on the results to improve the process and plans going forward.

| The Next Level — DMAIC About 5 percent of the time, system challenges need a deeper level of analysis and problem solving. The team members then apply the more robust tools of the Lean Six Sigma training. This process used most often is referred to as DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control). Again, team members work together to clearly define the current problem. They will typically flowchart the current process to understand in

b Student performance is at an all-time high.

b Custodial operational costs have decreased while cleaning scores and employee satisfaction have improved.

b Food service operational costs

have decreased and student feedback is being used to increase lunch participation rates.

b Student and parent satisfaction data for our district is high.

“All of the different departments and schools are going in the same direction as an organization and leadership team. We are sharing the same goals and knowledge of best practices.The facilities staff is feeling great about our role and contribution to the system. We are focused and excited to provide excellent service levels to help enhance the educational growth of our students and staff members. I really feel valued from our district leaders and staff members. I am truly blessed to be working with such high-quality people.” — Rick Fechter, director of facilities, School District of Menomonee Falls

Wisconsin School News

Learn More About Menomonee Falls’ Continuous Improvement Staff and school leaders from the School District of Menomonee Falls will hold a panel presentation at the 94th State Education Convention that will describe the LEAN Six Sigma projects completed by different divisions of the district. The process brought consistency to the steps, tools, and analysis of district data to determine improvement.

b Tens of thousands of dollars are being redirected from our operational costs to our instructional budget because our operations are becoming more effective and more efficient. By including all staff in our quality tools, training and process improvement, we are improving results and building a stronger

climate for improvement across the system. Our staff members are engaged and focused on building a quality system for our students and our community. The key is a deep level of training in the specific skills of quality process. n Patricia Greco, Ph.D., is the superintendent of the School District of Menomonee Falls.

“Training and Realizing Results Using LEAN/Six Sigma Quality Tools Across District Divisions” Jan. 22, 8:45 - 9:45 am Wisconsin Center, 102AB The district will also be holding a “Journey to Quality” site visit scheduled for March 26 and 27, 2015. For more information, visit the district website sdmfschools.org or contact Pat Greco at grecpat@sdmfschools.org.

December 2014

Successful Referendums Start

with Communication School leaders describe how communication efforts helped pass their referendums

ecreases in state aid, caps on taxes, and falling revenues are making school referendums a common reality for school districts. This article examines three school districts’ successful referendums held this spring. A common theme among the school districts’ successful referendum efforts was an emphasis on community engagement and education.

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF FORT ATKINSON

Referendum education in action

fter extensive community engagement work, the School District of Fort Atkinson passed a $5.25 million operational referendum to exceed its revenue cap by $1.75 million for three school years. But, before coming up with these numbers, the district did its best to gauge the community and get an idea of what it would support. Before selecting and announcing the referendum, a Financial Advisory Committee, made up of area CEOs and finance industry professionals, was formed. It crunched numbers and came up with solutions to the district’s finances. Recommendations from the Financial Advisory Committee were

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passed onto the Community Advisory Committee, which was made up of a diverse group of community members. This group narrowed the district’s referendum options down to two recommendations. Before selecting one of the options, the school district presented them to the community and encouraged feedback on the referendums via a community survey. The district received 700 responses. Based on the responses and other data, the board selected a recommendation and began the process of educating the community about the referendum. When it began reaching out to the community, the district recognized that it needed to reach a diverse audience. District leaders knew that different groups of people prefer to get information in different formats. With that in mind, the district presented information about the referendum at government meetings, they went to businesses and talked to area employees during their lunch breaks, and they handed out pamphlets outside a local grocery store. In addition, the

| Shelby Anderson district produced informational videos and launched a website devoted to providing information and resources related to the referendum. “You’re trying to reach all different groups of people through different means,” said Jeff Zaspel, superintendent of the School District of Fort Atkinson. Most impressively, the district did all of this without the help of an outside consultant. Instead, the district worked through its Community Advisory Board, school board, administrators, and volunteers. In addition, a parent group stepped up and assisted the district.

Kettle Moraine Board Member Terri Phillips (right) talks with community members during a community workshop addressing the district’s referendum.

With all of the help the district received, Zaspel said one thing that helped keep the communication efforts focused was that the district selected core messages that were used across all communication formats — web, email, print, etc. This kept the messaging focused and straight-forward. Bob Chady, president of the Fort Atkinson School Board, said one reason the referendum passed was because of the work the district had done with its last three referendums. Each time, the district engaged the community and built trust. “I think our success is due to the fact that we’ve been successful the last three times,” Chady said. “This community sees it [referendum] every four or five years and I think they value education in our community.” When the district was educating the community about its latest referendum, Zaspel was a first-year superintendent. He admitted that he was not a referendum expert but he said he learned that one of the most important things is to know your community. “You have to have a real feel of your community,” Zaspel said. “It’s really about listening to people.” On a final note, Chady said the date of the election needs to be checked against the school district calendar. In Fort Atkinson, the school calendar that was sent to the

board for approval had spring break occurring during the week of the election. The school board changed spring break week to another week. Having spring break occur during the election could have drawn away potential voters as families may have been on vacation. “You want to make sure your parents will be there to support you on election day,” Chady said.

KETTLE MORAINE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Developing staff as referendum advocates

ike many school districts in Wisconsin, since the inception of revenue limits, the Kettle Moraine School District has operated below the state average for per-pupil revenue. However, a district can’t operate very long this way without making substantial cuts or going to referendum. The school district had two year’s worth of survey data that indicated there was support to address the district’s needs regarding capital maintenance projects, technology infrastructure, safety and security, and updated learning spaces. The district announced a $49.6 million capitol maintenance referendum and got to work reaching out to its communities. The Kettle Moraine School District serves 10

communities in southeastern Wisconsin. Connecting with such a diverse group of stakeholders was a challenge. With help from advisors at architecture and construction management firms, the district developed a comprehensive communications plan. “We felt it was extremely important to make every effort to reach into each of the communities as well as to reach out to our parents and staff,” said Pat Deklotz, superintendent of the Kettle Moraine School District. The communications plan involved going to the meetings of every municipality included in the Kettle Moraine School District. Press releases and articles were sent out to local newspapers. The district held tours of the district’s facilities, it hosted informational nights, and used the district newsletter and website to communicate about the referendum. The district’s social media accounts were used and the district made four videos. Information was also available at a variety of district activities, including parent/teacher conference, sporting events, and evening activities. The district found, through its survey data, that its community members primarily received information about their schools through each other. “That made it paramount that everyone interested in or affiliated with our schools be equipped with

December 2014

Referendum Sessions at Convention The 94th State Education Convention, Jan. 21-23, Milwaukee, will feature several sessions on holding a successful referendum, including sessions led by school districts featured in this article. We Did it and You Can Too — A Success Building Referendum Wed., Jan. 21, 8-9 am, 201CD Prescott School District Referendum Success Through Community Engagement Thurs., Jan. 22, 10:45-11:45 am, 201B School District of Fort Atkinson Communication and Engagement Strategies for Facility Referenda Thurs., Jan. 22, 1:45-2:45 pm, 201A Kettle Moraine School District Passing a Referendum Fri., Jan. 23, 8-9 am, Wright C (Hilton) Parkview School District

building of the schools, the district office, as well as with special groups such as food service and custodians. “The most effective communication method was word-of-mouth conversations held by our staff and community members.” Deklotz said. Looking back on the process, Deklotz said the district learned a lot. While face-to-face conversations were important to a lot of community members, social media had also become a credible and effective means of communication. Deklotz said she learned that video was more powerful than print and that often less is more. “We learned to keep the message simple and to provide multiple opportunities for individuals to dig as deep into a particular question or interest as they desire,” she said. “There were no questions left unanswered.”

PARKVIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT

Reflecting the needs of the community information,” Deklotz said. “We needed those individuals to be spokespeople, able to share information and help anyone who might ask them a question.” District leaders met with parent and community organizations, and spoke multiple times with staff at each

Wisconsin School News

fter a failed referendum in 2012, the Parkview School District put two referendums before its voters this year. One was a $17 million facility referendum to enable the district to consolidate its buildings and renovate its elementary school and junior/senior high school.

The second referendum was an operational referendum to exceed the revenue limit by $350,000 over the course of three school years. The district had put similar referendums to its voters in the past with no success. However, this year, both referendums passed. “The referendum that failed in 2012 was for a much smaller amount of money, but because it didn’t reflect the needs of our community and a clear message did not reach all stakeholders, we were unsuccessful,” said District Administrator Steve Lutzke. “The April 2014 referendum was conceived by the community and was clearly articulated and, as a result, we were successful.” Input from the community guided the referendum proposals throughout the process. Before any proposals were sent to the school board, the district held several listening sessions. The district reviewed data from the district and input from the listening sessions to develop and refine the referendum proposals through its long-range planning committee, which included members of the community. The long-range planning committee hired a consultant to help the district get a better picture of its future needs. School Board President Clay Hammes said the consultant also helped bring transparency to the process. “Utilizing a third-party group helped quell any accusations that the committee, or any individual committee member, was pursuing an agenda that may not have been in the best interest of the district,” he said. With several referendum options on the table, a final round of listening sessions were held before the school board approved the referendums. “The administration and board listened to the needs of the community,” Lutzke said. “This may sound easy, but it required us to leave our preconceived ideas at the door and really listen to what the community would support.” The district learned that what the community would support was

a non-recurring referendum for $350,000 over three years. Looking at the numbers, the district actually needed $750,000 each school year to continue operating as it had in the past. The district will have to make some cuts but will still be able to maintain a high-level of education. The big sell was the district’s $17 million building referendum to update the district’s elementary school and junior/senior high school. Lutzke said community members supported this large price tag once they learned what it would mean for the community and just how badly it was needed. Both of the district’s school buildings are at least 50 years old and in need of renovations and updates.

“The referendum must clearly identify how the investment will make learning better for kids,” he said. “Parkview successfully delivered this message to the voters.” Hammes said, from his perspective, the district was able to pass its referendums because it established credibility with the community. “You have to put in the time to develop the best plan possible that is in the best interest of the district as a whole,” Hammes said. “Credibility is paramount. The public has to believe what you’re telling them or you will fail.” Lutzke said he is grateful that his community approved the referendums and he feels a responsibility to use that support to the best of the district’s ability. “I know that all of the district personnel feel an immense obligation to use the financial resources provided by the community to improve the quality of education for our students,” he said. n

Referendum Communication

TIPS

n Develop clear, consistent messages to be used across all formats of referendum communications (web, print, video, etc.).

n Effective video messages can be more powerful than print.

n Social media is an effective and credible communication tool, make sure it is part of your communications plan.

n Your district’s own staff can be powerful advocates for your district’s referendum. Meet with them and give them the tools and knowledge so they can educate people in the community. For more information, visit the WASB Referendum Resource Center at wasb.org. Select “Communications” and then “Referendum Resource Center.”

December 2014

ENGAGING YOUR COMMUNITY

TO BUILD

Student Opportunities | Tracy Habisch-Ahlin

ommunity engagement is more than a “feel good” strategy. Students benefit from a vibrant, engaged community that can bring valuable resources to the classroom each day. At the same time, community members who feel valued and engaged in meaningful ways are more likely to support schools in those times when social and financial capital is needed. Over 10 years ago, the Hudson School District embarked on a comprehensive communication plan following a failed referendum. It was clear the district needed to build its community relations if a future referendum were to pass. Community engagement has been the centerpiece of the Hudson School District’s communication plan. The school district has worked to build a network of community stakeholders who can leverage their social capital to help spread good news about the district. This network includes business owners, retired citizens, civic leaders and parents. This group receives ongoing regular communications about the district’s successes and information about potential challenges. Members have also been called upon to provide feedback on important initiatives. More traditional community task

Wisconsin School News

forces have been brought together to help create the Hudson School District’s strategic vision, the Hudson High School’s Learning for the Future Initiative, and long-term facilities planning. While traditional in format, the process in each case involved extensive in-depth learning for task force members — this wasn’t your typical Saturday gathering to hammer out a plan. Each one of these task forces spent six months or more studying best practices, learning about current school district needs and challenges, and developing an implementation plan. Reaching beyond those who are

familiar with the school district is the most challenging. Two years ago, the district started using the “World Café” model of engagement to involve more people in the school district’s conversation and planning for facility needs in grades 6-12. These community conversations provided the board of education with valuable guidance in determining what the community believed was important to student learning and what they were likely to support. The community engagement strategies have helped to build community support and interest in

“Coming together is a beginning,

staying together is progress, and working together is success.” — Henry Ford getting more involved. For instance, Hudson High School’s Learning for the Future Initiative, which involves community members along with school leaders, has established a bold vision that redefines how high schools go about the business of educating students with the end goal to prepare each student for post-secondary success and challenge them to become informed, caring contributors who can meet the demands and global challenges of today. A year ago, Hudson High School began a career speaker series that has brought a wide range of community business representatives and leaders into the school. The weekly speakers provide students with a glimpse into a specific field of study, educational expectations to obtain career goals and career opportunities. The speakers also provide students with a valuable connection to an adult mentor in their career field of interest. Speakers have presented on career topics as diverse as a local chocolatier and small business owner to an F-16 fighter pilot who leads a global computer software development company. In fact, after hearing the fighter pilot speak about software development, a high school student approached him after the presentation to ask more questions. As a result, the high school student

Is your school board in-sync on community engagement? The WASB/School Perceptions Annual Board Development Tool can help school board evaluate their processes and procedures, including community engagement efforts. This online survey tool allows board members to rate their work on 12 different areas on their own time when their schedule allows. For more information, visit wasb.org. Select “Board Governance” and then “Annual Board Development Tool.”

went on a personal tour of the company and then pursued an internship. This student has since gained valuable real world connections to people in his field of interest and work experience all before graduating from high school. Students need to be adaptable and nimble in today’s fast-paced changing world. The same is true for school districts. Online news and social media have created a demand for instant information and responses. “Back in the day,” school districts provided minimal information to stakeholders regarding the state of

school affairs. School administrators can lament the good old days when the community trusted their word. Take the time now, before a crisis or referendum drives your plan. Communications is about relationship building and most importantly it is about supporting the work that needs to be done each and every day for each and every student. n Tracy Habisch-Ahlin is communications/ community services coordinator for the Hudson School District and a member of the board of directors for the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA). For more information about WSPRA, visit wspra.org.

WSPRA Can Help The Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) provides Wisconsin administrators and school leaders across the state a network of communications and public relations experts to assist in starting or enhancing school district communication/community engagement planning. For information on upcoming conferences or trainings, communications materials and regional resources, visit WSPRA.org. N

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December 2014

CLIMATE CONTROL Ten Ways to Make Your Schools Great Places to Work and Learn Kathleen Vail

Support New Teachers

The price of teacher turnover is high in terms of productivity and morale, not to mention money. The average cost of recruiting, hiring, preparing, and then losing a teacher is $50,000, according to the National Education Association. Induction, training, and a structured mentoring program are vital, as well as ongoing, tangible support on what’s going well and what needs to be done better. “If a teacher is struggling without support, it undermines quality,” says Tom Carroll, president of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future. “That teacher is gone, and students are taught by a passing parade of short-term folks. It definitely has an effect on teaching quality.”

Address a Toxic Climate

What happens at faculty meetings? What traditions and ceremonies do teachers and staff have to celebrate successes? These are elements of school climate, the underlying attitudes and expectations of your employees.

Wisconsin School News

Climate affects morale enormously, but it’s not always easy to read. In fact, your schools may have a toxic culture that you are not aware of, says Kent Peterson, an education professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and coauthor of Shaping School Culture. Peterson suggests this checklist for diagnosing a school’s climate:

b What is the energy level of

people coming into the school? Do they look positive and energized?

b What underlying message is being sent about what’s important in the school?

b At faculty meetings, what do

people talk about? Do they only discuss their problems, or do they believe they can solve those problems?

b Is there a sense of collaboration? In a toxic culture, hostility and conflict among teachers are a constant; rumormongers pass on negative information, and they only talk about things that don’t work. Peterson suggests that principals in such schools reach out to a core of

staff members who believe in the school and build from there, confronting negativity and hostility and slowly turning the culture around. He also recommends involving the staff in making sure that fun and celebration are part of each school year. “It’s really hard to be a teacher,” says Joe Ruzicka, principal of Capital High School in Boise, Idaho. “We have to work hard and play hard.” He split his staff into four groups and challenged them to come up with celebrations and fun activities, and now they have annual staff picnics at the beginning and end of the school year with families invited, among several other “down-time” staff activities.

Empower Teachers and Staff

People are happiest when they have some control over their work environment. Autocratic, top-down leadership tends to quash teacher and employee morale. Giving teachers a role in school decisions doesn’t necessarily mean site-based management. It means

If you want to know about teacher and staff morale, you can take a simple, but powerful, action: Ask. that teachers and other staff members have a voice in decisions that affect them. Taking teachers’ views and opinions into account, particularly regarding instruction, shows them that they are respected and valued.

Recognize and Reward Teachers and Staff

Letting teachers know they’re doing a good job and recognizing their achievements publicly goes a long way toward making them feel appreciated. This includes everything from following up on positive things observed during classroom visits to leaving encouraging notes and candy in teachers’ mailboxes.

Don’t Ignore Administrator Morale

Principals are your employees, and unhappy ones hurt morale. And administrator turnover — another concern for school boards and superintendents — forces teachers to get used to new sets of rules and expectations. Workload is a major element of principal morale. Expectations that principals attend every school event and deal with every small detail of building management should be scaled back. Another thing to watch is the relationship between the school board and the superintendent. If that relationship is dysfunctional, it can spill into the district.

Deal with Student Discipline

Disruptive student behavior damages teacher morale and leads some teachers to leave. New teachers in particular have trouble with classroom management, and teachers

who leave say they don’t feel adequately backed up by principals when it comes to disciplining individual students. Firm, consistent rules, clear direction to teachers, and supportive redirection when necessary are all important to staff climate and teacher morale. Principals must maintain balance in student discipline. If a principal doesn’t agree with the teacher’s decision, he or she should let the teacher know in a way that doesn’t make the teacher seem like the bad guy. It’s an opportunity to show the teacher a better way to handle discipline.

Treat Teachers Like Professionals

Ask Employees What’s Going On

Teachers need professional development and time to collaborate with colleagues. If they know they are expected to be continuous learners, like their students, they see themselves as professionals. An important aspect of professional development is the opportunity to collaborate with peers. Teachers find working with their colleagues intellectually stimulating, and the ability and time to collaborate on lesson plans and projects is another reason they stay at their jobs.

If you want to know about teacher and staff morale, you can take a simple, but powerful, action: Ask. Gathering employee input, whether through informal chat sessions or by a written school survey, gives the staff a chance to be heard on important issues. It also can alert administrators and others to potential problems.

Keep Facilities Tidy

Not everyone can work in a new building, of course, but it makes sense that the state of school facilities affects morale. Teachers who work every day in crumbling buildings with leaky roofs and broken plumbing are bound to feel that their work isn’t especially valued. Morale is especially poor when schools are in disrepair because voters won’t pass bond issues, sending a message about the community’s lack of commitment to education.

Develop Emotional IQ

“Everyone needs to feel emotional support from the person they work for,” says Daniel Goleman, the journalist who coined the term emotional intelligence. “Being empathetic, recognizing and appreciating good work, validating efforts, appreciating a well-done job, helping people develop new strengths. All of these things are what good leaders do to help teachers work at their best.” A leader with strong emotional intelligence is a godsend to any building — or district, for that matter — that struggles with staff morale. Such a person finds ways to motivate staff members to work to their highest abilities. Teachers who feel good about themselves and their work will look for ways to reach all their children, even those who have struggled in the past. They create an atmosphere where everyone wants to be — students included. n Vail is managing editor of the American School Board Journal. This article originally appeared in American School Board Journal. Reprinted with permission.

December 2014

Why Doesn’t Batman Ever Smile? Examining boys’ social dynamics and emotional well-being

| Rosalind Wiseman

presented by

rom the moment they find out they’re having a girl, most parents know that the culture we live in will present specific challenges to their daughter’s self-esteem. As a girl matures, it’s assumed that her parents need to worry about, prepare for, and then talk to her about body image, mean girls, bullying, eating disorders, physical safety, negative portrayals of girls in the media, and sexual vulnerability. Parents of girls also get a lot of support. If you want to find a conference, book, or seminar on any of these issues, it’s not

hard to find, regardless of where you live and what your income is. Equally important, because both educators and parents of girls are aware of these Girl World issues, we can protest the unhealthy messages. We don’t just accept them. Maybe you’ve seen what mommy bloggers do when a clothing company has the audacity to sell a T-shirt marketed to girls that says, I HATE ALGEBRA! Besides protest, we also include girls in our mission. We enlist them in the fight so that at very early ages many girls can cross their arms and lecture you about how even if they like purple, girls can like any other colors, too. All of this is great for girls and a huge improvement from what girls experienced even a generation ago. While we still have a lot more to do (a whole lot more to do), girls have a general understanding that the complicated, mixed-message culture we live in not only gives them terrible messages about their sexuality and self-worth but also includes empowering messages that support them as they come into their full, authentic potential. We don’t do any of this for boys. We don’t collectively challenge boy culture. We either buy into it ourselves or don’t notice it. We don’t see

boys as complex, nuanced individuals. We don’t think a boy who loves shooting Nerf guns (at age seven), air-soft (at age 11), or paint guns (at age 13 and over) also wants to read romantic adventure stories. Instead, people often say, “Boys don’t read.” We are part of the problem when we say this. We are contributing to boys’ alienation. We assume boys are easy because they keep quiet, and in the process we sentence them to a lifetime of being misunderstood. If we don’t recognize and appreciate the challenges they’re facing, no matter how much we love them and want to help them, they won’t see us as a resource. Instead, they’ll see us as an essential part of the problem. You don’t need to take my word for it. Listen to them. There is no way I’m telling my parents about my problems. There’s no point. My dad especially freaks out, starts yelling at me, and makes everything worse. — Ethan, 14 When my mom gets mad at me, she tells me I’m being like my dad. She hates my dad. Can you imagine what that’s like? It’s like

We don’t collectively challenge boy culture. We either buy into it ourselves or don’t notice it.

Wisconsin School News

being cut with a knife. And this is the person who I’m supposed to tell my problems to. — Sean, 16 In addition to what the boys say, there’s significant research that clearly shows how boys are struggling: • For every 100 girls age 6 to 14 with a learning disability, 160 boys have a learning disability (U.S. Census Bureau). • For every 100 females age 15 to 19 who commit suicide, 549 males in the same age range kill themselves (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). • For every 100 girls in correctional facilities, 879 boys are behind bars (U.S. Census Bureau). Adding to these statistics, 70 percent of high school valedictorians are now female. My colleagues in college admissions tell me that the ratio of male applicants to female applicants has continued to weaken so much that now they believe that

for every eight qualified female applicants there are only two male applicants. Eight to two. They won’t admit that publicly, but it’s something they discuss among themselves.

The last time I spoke to a group of college admissions professionals (and there were representatives of Ivy League and other select colleges in the room), one of the attendees asked me, “Should we accept a male student

Bachelor’s Degrees: Male vs. Female 70%

60%

female

50%

40%

male

30%

20% 1974

1982

1990

1998

2006

2014

Source: Collegestats

December 2014

See Rosalind Wiseman at the State Education Convention presented by

The WASB is excited to announce that best-selling author Rosalind Wiseman will deliver the keynote address on Friday, Jan. 23, at the 94th State Education Convention, taking place Jan. 21-23 in Milwaukee. Wiseman is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World, which was the basis for the hit movie Mean Girls. Her latest work, Masterminds & Wingmen: Helping Your Son Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World was published in September 2013. Each year, Wiseman works with tens of thousands of students, educators, parents, counselors, coaches, and administrators to create communities based on the belief that each person has a responsibility to treat themselves and others with dignity. She was one of the principal speakers at the White House Summit on Bullying and is an advisor to the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. A sought-after speaker, Wiseman’s presentations transcend cultural and economic boundaries in her appeal to ensure children’s and teenagers’ well-being. Her engaging and forthright delivery promises to capture audiences and inspire them to build positive relationships among each other. For more on the 2015 State Education Convention, visit wasb.org/convention.

who does well on his standardized tests but doesn’t get good grades and does the bare minimum with extracurricular activities? We can accept him because we need boys, but we have no indication that he’ll be a productive

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Technology and Inspiration Keynote speaker Kevin Honeycutt will discuss engaging learners through technology

member of our community.” So while people are worried about racial affirmative action, the biggest affirmative action problem is right in front of us. If you’re still having a hard time believing me, check out the line graph from Collegestats on page 17. In that context, this comment from Will, a sophomore at Georgetown and one of my primary research and editorial assistants, makes perfect sense. In my AP classes, I was always one of five guys. The same five guys in a classroom of girls. I had plenty of guy friends who could have taken those classes, but they didn’t want to do it. They’d rather be the best among the mediocre. Really, my friends would rather look stupid. They weren’t secure enough to compete with the girls.

Kevin Honeycutt is a school board member, a technology integration specialist at an educational service center in Kansas, and a nationally renowned keynote speaker. Growing up in poverty, Kevin attended school in 20 states. As he witnessed education around the country he collected powerful experiences that still influence his conversations and his work with educators. Kevin began his career as an art teacher in K-12 public school and for 17 years spent summers leading creative adventure camps for kids of all ages. In 1991 he received the Making IT Happen Award, which is an internationally recognized awards program for educators and leaders in the field of educational technology integration in K–12 schools. The program identifies and rewards educational technology leaders around the world for their commitment and innovation. Today, Honeycutt works with educators and school leaders around the country discussing proper, effective and innovative uses of technology in public schools. At the State Education Convention, Kevin will share his own personal story of overcoming poverty and talk about how we can reach all learners, especially struggling students. Honeycutt will discuss how we can re-connect with struggling students and get them back on the path to success. He is passionate about meeting the needs of at-risk learners and works with kids in juvenile detention, developing approaches to re-engage the “lost” learner. Kevin will deliver the keynote address on Wednesday, Jan. 21 during the 94th State Education Convention. For more information, visit wasb.org/convention. N

We owe it to boys to do better. We owe it to the girls who are growing up with these boys to do better. n Excerpted from MASTERMINDS & WINGMEN by Rosalind Wiseman. Copyright © 2013 by Rosalind Wiseman. Excerpted by permission of Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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December 2014

10/28/14 19 8:11 AM

Leading Into the Unknown Change is a part of education and always will be

| Richard Gerver

presented by

s we approach the end of the second decade of the twenty-first century, we are in the grip of global transformations that have resulted in a new kind of world view. As a species, we now realize that we need to behave and act dramatically differently from our predecessors if we are to bestow upon our future generations any kind of meaningful inheritance. We are a world restricted by fear and a growing awareness of our inability to deal with the changes and challenges ahead. In many ways, education is a microcosm of

that global portrait. We all know things aren’t working and in different ways, different factions are looking in different directions in the hope of finding solutions. All too often we will resort to the tried and tested, the ways that worked before. Yet what has defined humanity since the dawn of time has been its ability to create, to evolve its thinking, its actions and customs, to invent the world we now inhabit. I remember many years ago striking up a conversation with a retired family friend. He asked me about my dreams and ambitions. I was eight or nine at the time and what I wanted was a big house with a pool, a Ferrari and a place on the England soccer team. He turned to me with the sort of smile only wise old family friends can muster and said, with a clarity that still affects me these years later, ‘Richard, in my expe-

rience, the more you have, the more you want and, most importantly, the more you have will increase the pressure and fear you will live your life under because you will have more to lose.’ I still want the Ferrari and the house with a pool … the England dream died on a school playing field when I was trodden into the mud for the third time on a particularly wet November day, but I do understand what he meant. I am not sure that I agree that you should limit your aspirations in order to live a trouble-free life, however, I can recognize in my own life how, at times, I have erred on the side of caution to protect what I have. I also realize, however, that if I don’t keep exploring, keep asking what if and taking chances, I will never evolve.

In all that I do and all that I say, I will not look back on my life and judge its success by the academic achievements, or otherwise, of my younger days. I want to be able to say that I lived my life and challenged myself, that I gave it my all; created new things and made my mark; that, in my own way, I worked for others. To know that I loved, laughed and was trusted. I want to know that even as a speck of humanity, I was able to be someone; for myself and others. Of my education all I ask is that you help prepare me to live my dreams.

Wisconsin School News

Neil Willenson:

Standing Up for Underserved Children I fear that as we, as a species, have developed, we have gone through the phases of hunger and thirst for new things and now find ourselves so laden with possessions that we can’t go further for losing everything. Risk and the ability to take risks are the lifeblood of our evolution and intellect. We cannot afford to sit still, to hunker down and hope that our own inventions and evolution leaves us alone and lets us return to a safer, more rosytinted past place. I believe that education is perhaps more guilty than most at trying to stick for fear of going bust. I believe that at the policy level we would rather return to the certainties of the past than explore the possibilities of the future and hope that all the change around us can be contained by the call for ‘traditional’ values. Change is a part of everyday life and we are all the better for it. In some ways the world is coming out of great swathes of crisis and our children are hungrier than ever for evolution, for ownership and for new journeys. Of course rhetoric is easy. The practical application, as with so many things, is far, far harder. We are currently an aging profession that is experiencing a decline in morale and interest in our fold. Teachers span nearly three generations and have varying appetites for the challenges that face us. School leadership is no longer an aspiration for most and for many is seen as a position of management, not one of vision and exploration. To ensure that we can begin the process of transformation, not reform, that is the imperative; we must do a number of things: First, we must come to terms with the fact that change is part of education and will always be so. It is not a job for those who

In 1991, Neil Willenson was studying film at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when he befriended a 5-year-old who was HIV-positive. The boy faced tremendous challenges every day. At school, parents asked that the boy use a separate bathroom, sit alone on the bus and some even called for him to be removed from his kindergarten class. Seeing the struggles and discrimination that HIV-positive children faced, Neil knew he had to do something. He had planned on moving to Hollywood after graduation and pursuing a career in the movie industry. Instead, Willenson got a job as a forklift operator in Milwaukee and began to raise money to create a camp for children impacted by AIDS. During the summer of 1993, Camp Heartland, now known as One Heartland, held its first camp. Children participate in normal camp activities such as canoeing, fishing, archery, climbing, and swimming. But, most importantly, the camp provides children impacted by AIDS a safe haven where they can be regular children. Today, One Heartland is a thriving non-profit organization that has positively affected thousands of children’s lives. One Heartland offers camps in Minnesota, Texas, California, and Connecticut and provides camps for children in transitional housing and LGBTQA youth. Neil Willenson continues to stand up for underserved children with his continuing work with One Heartland and as a public speaker, “When I see children who are suffering, it emboldens me even more that I must contribute, I must alleviate their suffering.” WASB members will have the opportunity to hear Willenson’s story during the State Education Convention. Willenson will be the keynote speaker at the WASB Breakfast, Jan. 22. For more information or to register, visit wasb.org/convention. N

want the same thing day after day, year after year. I’ve planned it and resourced it so now I’m going to teach it until my pension clicks in! Schools of today and certainly of tomorrow must be dynamic entities, constantly innovating and driving change; cultures of risk-taking, creativity and development. For that to be the case, we need to attract the right kind of people to work in our schools and then nurture the right ones to lead them. Education is not the career of choice for most of our young people because it is just not cool … but it should be. Secondly, we must stimulate and

build the momentum for change by developing cultures that constantly question and explore what is happening and what could happen. Grange’s phenomenal development occurred because of the culture that promoted constant discussion, questioning and action. We had no completed, time-scaled or costed action plans and definite outcomes at the start of our journey. We committed to asking ourselves questions and finding ways to answer them; ‘How do we create Disneyland?’ To ensure progress and real development there must be a move away from the culture that so many of us live by where things

December 2014

end with a ‘Yeah, but’. We need to develop cultures where problems are seen as challenges, as opportunities for creativity. Thirdly, we must develop a tangible sense of empowerment and regain the feeling that teaching is a profession. A profession that contains talented people, of significant value and vision, who truly are drawn to the vocation because of their desire to give all of our children the best start to life. We must realize that teachers and those directly involved with our children do know best and are the ones who really do have our children’s best interests at heart; not the media, the civil servants in government offices or the politicians. In a time of change and a time where we have an unprecedented level of control over our own lives, we must use it all to take control of education and its development for our children.

I am not a great academic or intellectual. I admire those who are; those who use those gifts for the good, anyway, but I do feel that our future lies not in the few who know or think that they know. It lies in those who are confident enough to realize that they don’t; those who then have the courage, resilience and creativity to find out. In essence, this is where the journey in our schools must begin. We must build a culture that recognizes that learning, great learning, just opens doors to new learning and to greater questions. The school of the future recognizes that the future will always be unknown but that, by learning to deal with it, live within in it and be excited by it, we will provide our children with the education they will need and that they deserve. n

See Richard Gerver at Convention presented by

Richard Gerver will deliver the keynote on Thursday, Jan. 22, during the 94th State Education Convention. A teacher in England, Gerver has been called one of the world’s most exceptional educators by Sir Ken Robinson. Gerver will discuss what makes up great school leadership and provide inspiration for enacting meaningful change in our schools.

Richard Gerver is an educator, author and renowned keynote speaker. This article is excerpted from Richard Gerver’s book Creating Tomorrow’s Schools Today. Reprinted with permission.

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Wisconsin School News

9/11/14 2:11 PM

MEMBER RECOGNITION

Recognizing Our School Leaders Congratulations to those school board members who reached Level 5 of the Member Recognition Program

n 1988, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards began the Member Recognition Program to encourage school board members to participate in activities that strengthen their skills as local educational leaders. Board members are awarded points for participating in WASB and NSBA (National School Boards Association) activities. These include: attending conventions, workshops, seminars, and webinars; serving on WASB committees; serving on non-WASB committees on behalf of the WASB; or serving as a delegate to the WASB Delegate Assembly. A specified number of points is assigned each activity, ranging from one to 30. 2014 WASB REGION 2

MEMBER

The annual Member Recognition Program runs from July 1 through June 30, and points are cumulative from year-to-year. Each August, the WASB sends out a report that reflects WASB programs attended for that year and the total accumulated points. Qualifying board members receive recognition pins and certificates. Below are listed members who achieved Level 5 of the Member Recognition Program in 2013-14. This is the top level that a school board member can achieve and requires a tremendous commitment on behalf of the school board member.

RECOGNITION PROGRAM

REGION 5

Michael Zimmerman, Lac du Flambeau #1

REGION 7

Mary Kathleen Maloney, Green Bay Area REGION 4

Debra Rasmussen, Baldwin-Woodville Area Howard Kruschke, Saint Croix Central

LEVEL

REGION 11

Diana Bohman, Tomorrow River Sandra Hett, Wisconsin Rapids

REGION 3

Linda Reetz, Berlin Area Virginia Schlais, New London REGION 10

Linda Kutka, Cudahy Sheryl Cerniglia, Oak CreekFranklin John Haslam, South Milwuakee William Baumgart, Waukesha REGION 12

William Kuehn, Markesan Kay Lynn Taylor, River Valley

Susan Fox, Monona Grove

Below are images of some members who achieved Level 5 of the Member Recognition Program.

John Haslam (center), South Milwaukee is recognized by WASB Executive Director John Ashley and former WASB Regional Director Colin Butler.

Sandra Hett (left), Wisconsin Rapids and Diana Bohman (right), Tomorrow River.

Virginia Schlais (center), New London and William Kuehn (right), Markesan.

Mary Kathleen Maloney, Green Bay Area.

December 2014

A S S O C I AT I O N N E W S

WASB Fall Event Recaps Here is a look at the events that the WASB held this fall. Full event recaps along with presentations can be found on the WASB website (wasb.org). Select “Meetings and Events” and then “Event Recaps.” Member log-in may be required.

Legislative Advocacy Conference

ith numerous changes and challenges facing school districts, including new state assessments, teacher evaluations and more, it’s important for school leaders to be effective advocates and sources of information for their communities. The 2014 Legislative Advocacy Conference, held Nov. 8 in Stevens Point, focused on giving school board members and administrators the information and expertise to speak confidently about key education issues that will be debated in the upcoming 2015-16 legislative session. Presentations covered a variety of important topics, including: the Common Core State Standards, independent voucher and charter schools, school accountability, a forecast of the 2015-17 state budget and much more. Dr. Julie Mead, educational leadership professor at UW-Madison, discussed the rise of privatized education in the form of voucher and independent charter schools. Mead pointed out that voucher schools in Wisconsin cost the state about $171 million at the same time that Wisconsin made some of the largest cuts to education funding in the country. “At what point, if any, does a state’s funding of private education subvert its constitutional obligation to provide adequately for public education, thereby converting a child’s right to an education to merely the right to shop for one?” Mead asked. Dan Rossmiller, WASB government relations director, and Chris Kulow, WASB government relations specialist, provided some tips on how school board members can advocate effectively during the 2015-17 state budget discussion.

Wisconsin School News

Rossmiller asked special guests, Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon), chair of the Senate Education Committee; and Rep. Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake), chair of the Assembly Education Committee, for their thoughts on the upcoming 2015-17 state budget debate. In particular, Rossmiller asked the pair what they thought was likely to happen with respect to adjustments to state-imposed revenue limits, state academic standards, and proposed expansion of taxpayer-subsidized tuition payments for private school students (vouchers). Sen. Olsen suggested that additional money for schools was likely to be something that won’t be decided until the Joint Finance Committee reaches the later stages of debate over the state budget, simply because state aid for schools is such a large part of the state budget and lawmakers want to see how state revenue growth looks before deciding on increases. Olsen noted that once state income tax returns are filed on April 15, the state’s revenue picture becomes clearer.

While this gives school board members some time, Sen. Olsen told attendees they should be talking to their lawmakers now. In fact, said Olsen, the best time for school leaders to be talking to lawmakers was when they were candidates running for election. “If they won’t listen to you when they’re running for office and asking for your vote, when will they listen to you?” asked Olsen. The legislators also gave advice on how to contact lawmakers and testify before the Joint Finance Committee on the budget. They also stressed how important it is to build relationships between school board members and legislators. In particular, they strongly recommended regular meetings between administrators, board members, and their area legislators. “It’s a lot harder to vote against you if they know they have to meet with you and face the music at the next meeting. It might make them think twice,” said Kestell. N

WSAA/WASB Employment and School Law Seminar

he WASB along with the Wisconsin School Attorneys Association (WSAA) held an Employment and School Law Seminar Oct. 16-17 in Wisconsin Dells. The event featured 16 sessions presented by WASB staff and school law attorneys from across the state. Barry Forbes, WASB associate executive director and staff counsel, presented on updating employee handbooks. Among other issues, Forbes said critical areas requiring handbook review or updating include: reduction in staff time, grievance process, same gender marriage issues, and wage and hour issues. “Employers now must review handbooks and policies to modify rules inconsistent with decisions and ruling related to these issues,” Forbes said. Daniel Vliet of Buelow Vetter

Buikema Olson & Vliet, LLC, and Scott Mikesh, director of human resources and legal services for the Kaukauna Area School District, addressed compensation models with the goal of attracting and retaining high-quality teachers. Mikesh said when the Kaukauna Area School District developed its new compensation model, it made sure to include staff and community input. The model also had to align with the district’s three goals: increased student achievement, improved culture and climate, and fiscal sustainability. Mikesh said as districts delve into developing their own compensation model, there are several important questions to keep in mind: “Does the new model provide guaranteed step movement? How is the new model tied to state or district evaluation systems? How is

the new model tied to professional practice goals or student learning objectives?” N

governance tool at no cost, the Annual Board Development Tool has been made available to every district for free for the 2014-15 school year. Passcodes were mailed to districts not in attendance. The Fall Regional Meetings also give the WASB the opportunity to recognize school board members for their hard work. Dozens of board members were recognized at the Regional Meetings through the WASB Member Recognition

Program. Board members who had attended professional development opportunities such as WASB conferences and events or who had participated in other leadership capacities such as the WASB Policy and Resolutions Committee were recognized for their hard work. You can view a list of names of school board members who reached Level 5 of the Member Recognition Program on page 28. N

Fall Regional Meetings

ach year the WASB Fall Regional Meetings give the WASB and school board members and administrators from around the state an opportunity to connect with leaders in their region and celebrate the accomplishments of their colleagues. Each Fall Regional Meeting included a feature presentation aimed at improving board governance in districts without stretching district’s budgets. The presentation shared the Key Work of School Boards — a framework for effective school governance. In addition, the presentation introduced the Annual Board Development Tool. Created by the WASB and School Perceptions, the tool is an online survey that allows school board members to evaluate their board’s work in 12 governing areas. In an effort to provide district’s with an effective

December 2014

L E G I S L AT I V E U P D AT E

GOP Increases Majorities Walker calls for education reform agenda

s a result of the November 4 election, Gov. Scott Walker won reelection and Republicans strengthened their control of both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature. The GOP increased its margin by three seats in the state Assembly and will hold a 63-36 majority when the new legislative session commences in January. In the state Senate, Republicans increased their margin by one seat and will hold a 19-14 advantage. One key priority for Republican lawmakers and the governor is enacting a school accountability measure. A proposal to bring private voucher schools that enroll students who receive taxpayer-subsidized tuition payments into a state accountability system failed last spring. Versions of that earlier bill called for sanctions on public and private voucher schools in which student academic performance fails to meet certain standards; however, lawmakers failed to reach consensus on the specific sanctions to be imposed. Lawmakers also disagreed on whether to allow private voucher school students who receive taxpayer-funded tuition subsidies to take a different test than those in public schools, a feature voucher proponents sought. Currently, private school students receiving taxpay-

er-funded tuition subsidies must take the same state assessments as students in public schools. | Walker wants Education

Reform Package Gov. Walker says he wants an accountability bill passed early next year. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) indicates it will be one of the first things the new Legislature tackles and says he wants accountability measures passed ahead of any expansions of taxpayer-funded tuition subsidies. The statewide program that provides taxpayer subsidies to pay tuition at private schools is currently capped at 1,000 students. However, Gov. Walker and Republican leaders have said they want to expand or even do away with that lid. Vos, in a television interview, also said he would like to eliminate family income thresholds in that (voucher) program, and expand open enrollment to any school (public or private) participating in state testing. Gov. Walker has called for the “repeal” of the Common Core State Standards and their replacement with “standards that are set by people here in Wisconsin, not by people outside of the state.” Shortly after his re-election Gov. Walker noted, “One of the things I mentioned throughout the campaign that I wanted to do early on is an

overall education reform package.” | Evers Releases Budget

Request Those education policy priorities contrast sharply with those reflected in the budget proposal submitted recently by State Superintendent Tony Evers. The centerpiece of Evers’ proposal is a school funding formula reform plan he calls “Fair Funding for Our Future” that would increase public school funding by $613 million over the next two years. The plan would increase state school aid by 2.6 percent in the 2015-16 school year and 4.7 percent in 2016-17, with the latter increase funded by channeling $897.4 million in state dollars currently distributed through a pair of property tax credits — the School Levy Tax Credit and the First Dollar Credit — into general equalization aids beginning with 2016-17 state aid payments. Evers’ plan would guarantee a minimum amount of state funding ($3,000) for every student and would incorporate a poverty factor into the aid formula to give extra weight (30 percent) to students from low-income families. Evers’ proposal would also adjust per-pupil revenue limits by $200 in the first year and $204 in the second year, allowing increases of approxi-

One key priority for Republican lawmakers and the governor is enacting a school accountability measure.

Wisconsin School News

mately 2 percent annually in revenues for the average school district, according to the DPI. The DPI budget request also calls for more spending for students with disabilities, safety programs, and for districts with English language learners. Evers’ proposal will be considered by the governor for possible inclusion in the 2015-17 state budget bill, which must be approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor to go into law. | Lawmakers Criticize

Evers’ Plan Evers has twice before submitted his “Fair Funding for Our Future” proposal as part of the DPI’s budget request only to see the governor and GOP lawmakers ignore it in the

budget plans they advanced. Indeed, two top Assembly Republican leaders were quick to criticize Evers’ plan, particularly its call for a $613 million increase in school aids. Vos and Joint Finance Committee Co-chair John Nygren (R-Marinette) say they plan to move ahead with their own agenda, which calls for “more efficient use of taxpayer dollars in education, by focusing resources in the classroom. “We have a responsibility to provide a great education to every child in Wisconsin and protect the interests of the taxpayer,” they said. “It is unfortunate that DPI doesn’t put more of an emphasis on the latter.” State Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon), chair of the Senate Education Committee, said he does not think there is any appetite among lawmakers for changing the

school funding formula in the next two years. With a bigger, more conservative Republican majority in both houses, Sen. Olsen suggested the strongest appetite is going to be for cutting property taxes and expanding private school vouchers. But he said that if public schools didn’t get any increase in funding, the state would be going backward. “Labor costs go up and the costs of operating the business of schools go up every year,” he said. Gov. Walker and newly elected lawmakers will be sworn in Jan. 5. The Legislature will begin its session that month, with a State of the State address sometime in late January and the budget speech following shortly after. State budget hearings and debate are expected to begin in earnest in March. n

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December 2014

LEGAL COMMENT

B oa r d m a n & C l a r k LL P

Reporting Suspected or Threatened Child Abuse or Neglect

chool district employees are an important part of preventing child abuse and neglect in Wisconsin. Due to their daily interaction with children, school employees are in a unique position to identify child abuse or neglect, and Wisconsin law places a heavy responsibility upon these employees to report such abuse or neglect. Specifically, under Wisconsin law, all school employees must report any suspected abuse or neglect or any threatened abuse or neglect affecting a child seen in the course of their professional duties. Failure to report can lead to significant penalties for the employee. This Legal Comment will summarize the various requirements associated with reporting child abuse and neglect and discuss the penalties for failing to report.1

| Reporting Requirements All School Employees Must Report. All school employees must report suspected or threatened child abuse or neglect, pursuant to Wis. Stat. s. 48.981. This law lists a number of district positions as mandatory reporters (e.g., school teacher, school administrator, school counselor, nurse, social worker, alcohol or other drug abuse counselor, physical therapist, speech-language pathologist, audiologist, child care worker) and then also includes a “catch-all” provision, which makes all school employees who are not otherwise listed in the statute as mandatory

reporters. Thus, all school employees (including educational assistants, secretaries, coaches, custodians, bus drivers, and food service workers) are mandatory reporters. The law provides an important exception to this reporting requirement for health care providers who provide any health care services to a child and for persons who obtain information about a child who is receiving or has received health care services. Any school district employee may be a person who obtains such information about a child. These individuals are not required to report sexual intercourse or sexual contact involving a child, except in limited circumstances under Wis. Stat. s. 48.981(2m). Such limited circumstances generally include situations where a caregiver may be involved in the sexual activity or the voluntariness of the child’s participation is in doubt. Suspected Child Abuse / Neglect. A mandatory reporter must report when the person has “reasonable cause to suspect” that a child, seen by the person in the course of professional duties, has been abused or neglected. “Reasonable cause to suspect” is not defined by the statute; however, in one Wisconsin case, State v. Hurd, the court provided guidance regarding this phrase.2 Specifically, the court stated that “reasonable cause to suspect” that a child has been abused or neglected involves a belief that an ordinary person would reach as to

the existence of abuse or neglect based on the totality of the facts and circumstances actually known to the person possessing the suspicion. Thus, the determination is based on the facts of each case, and the standard does not require actual proof of the abuse or neglect. In Hurd, a school administrator challenged his conviction for failing to report suspected child abuse by a counselor. In that case, an employee repeatedly informed the administrator that the counselor was making “advances” toward students. One of the students also told the administrator about a sexual assault by the counselor. The administrator even informed the counselor that rumors were circulating about his improper contacts with students. Based on this evidence, the court concluded that the administrator had reasonable cause to suspect the child abuse, which triggered his obligation to report. As mentioned above, reports are required only when the child is “seen in the course of professional duties.” This phrase is also not defined in the statute. However, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has indicated that this phrase requires the employee to have first-hand contact with the child as part of his or her school duties. The DPI, however, has cautioned that such first-hand contact is not limited to the classroom and likely extends to other situations, such as when the employee is required to attend

If an employee has a reasonable basis for suspecting abuse or neglect, the statute makes “immediate” reporting the obligation of that employee.

Wisconsin School News

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school sporting events as a monitor.3 A reasonable interpretation of this phrase, however, likely does not require an employee to report when the child is observed outside of the employee’s school duties. Threatened Abuse / Neglect. A mandatory reporter must also report when the person has reason to believe that a child, seen by the person in the course of professional duties, has been “threatened” with abuse or neglect and reason to believe that abuse or neglect of the child will occur. Thus, under this statute, it is not enough for the person to only believe that there is a “threat” of abuse or neglect, but the person must also believe that the abuse or neglect will occur. “Threatened” abuse or neglect is not defined under the statute. However, according to the DPI, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families has interpreted this phrase to relate to conditions or behaviors on the part of caregivers (including parents and other family members) that are dangerous to the child.4 For instance, violent or neglectful behavior in the home can “threaten” a child’s safety, even if the child has not yet been injured. The intent of this statute is to allow the proper authorities to intervene before there is harm to the child, if the abuse or neglect can be reasonably predicted. Reports Must be Made Immediately. The statute requires that the reporter must “immediately” inform the local child protective services (CPS) agency or local law enforcement agency, in person or by telephone, of the facts and circumstances contributing to a suspicion of child abuse or neglect or to a belief that abuse or neglect will occur. Thus, although there is no reporting “deadline,” the reporter is required to inform the applicable authorities without delay. Although immediate reporting is required, a mandatory reporter may sometimes need to confer with other professionals or with school administrators to determine if grounds for reporting exist. Performing a reason-

Wisconsin School News

able investigation before determining whether there is reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect and reporting those suspicions is consistent with the statute. Indeed, in one Wisconsin case, Phillips v. Behnke,5 the court held that an administrator acted appropriately in spending time to verify an allegation of sexual misconduct through a preliminary investigation before reporting. Some districts’ child abuse policies require reporters to notify administrators when reports are made. Such policies can prevent multiple reports about the same child and incident, but such notice should not delay making reports. If an employee has a reasonable basis for suspecting abuse or neglect, the statute makes “immediate” reporting the obligation of that employee. Multiple Reporters. A school employee does not relieve himself or herself of the mandatory reporting duty merely by consulting with other individuals. The employee must either make the report personally or fully expect and understand that the individual with whom he or she consults will make a report to proper authorities. In Behnke, a student allegedly had been sexually abused by a teacher, and the student’s father reported the abuse to the district administrator. The student’s father was a principal in the district, and therefore, both he and the district administrator were mandatory reporters under the statute. According to the court, the father was not deprived of immunity under the statute by reporting the abuse to the district administrator, rather than to social services. The court held that the father reported the abuse to the administrator with the understanding and expectation that information would be investigated and, if verified, reported to the proper authorities. | Recognizing Abuse and

Neglect Wisconsin Statute Section 48.02

includes definitions for reportable “abuse” and “neglect.” In short, “abuse” means, among other things, physical injury inflicted on a child by other than accidental means; sexual intercourse, sexual contact, or other sexually based activity in violation of state statute (sexual exploitation, exposure to pornography, viewing or listening to sexual activity, allowing or encouraging a child to engage in prostitution); manufacturing methamphetamine when a child is present or in the child’s home; and emotional damage for which the child’s parent, guardian or legal custodian has neglected, refused or been unable for reasons other than poverty to obtain necessary treatment or to take steps to ameliorate the symptoms. “Neglect” means failure, refusal or inability on the part of a caregiver, for reasons other than poverty, to provide necessary care, food, clothing, medical or dental care or shelter so as to seriously endanger the physical health of the child. Resources are available to assist mandatory reporters in recognizing signs of the abuse or neglect covered by the law.6 | Confidentiality All reports made under this statute must be kept strictly confidential. To this end, it is imperative that employees fully comply with their duty to refrain from disclosing information that would identify the reporter of abuse. Failure to strictly comply with that duty may result in criminal prosecution under Wis. Stat. s. 48.981(7). Anyone who violates the confidentiality provisions is subject to a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to six months or both. In State v. Polashek,7 the Wisconsin Supreme Court analyzed the requirements for criminal prosecution under the statute. In that case, a teacher’s aide informed the school nurse of her suspicion of child abuse after noticing a mark on a student’s forehead, and the nurse notified the Oconto County Department of Human Services. An investigation

did not uncover any abuse, and the student’s parents, unhappy with how the situation was handled, complained to the superintendent. That complaint ultimately resulted in the superintendent sending a letter of explanation to the parents, in which he identified the teacher’s aide and nurse by name. After the letter was sent, the state filed a criminal complaint against the superintendent alleging that he violated Wis. Stat. s. 48.981(7) by including the name of the reporter in the letter. Polashek argued that he could not have unlawfully “disclosed” such information because the parents already knew the identity of the reporters. The State objected, arguing that it should not be required to prove that the reporter’s identity was unknown to the recipient. The Wisconsin Supreme Court held that, to make an unauthorized disclosure under Wis. Stat. s. 48.981(7), the recipient must have been previously unaware of information at the time of the communication. The Court also held that the statute creates a strict liability offense, that is, it punishes a person’s behavior without regard to the intent of the person. In short, once a party “discloses” previously unknown information about a reporter’s identity, that party is criminally liable regardless of whether he or she intended to disclose such information. Districts are not required to seek permission from parents before making reports or to notify parents about reports that have been made. The Wisconsin Attorney General has concluded that law enforcement and child-welfare agencies may interview and observe at school children about whom abuse or neglect reports have been made and that school officials may not condition cooperation in these investigations upon parental notification.8 Nor may school district employees insist on participating in such interviews with

alleged victims of abuse or neglect. According to the Attorney General, investigators may conduct private interviews whenever the presence of school personnel would frustrate their ability to obtain useful information. | Liability/Immunity To encourage reporting, the law grants immunity from liability under state law (civil or criminal) for districts and employees who participate in good faith in making reports and conducting investigations. Furthermore, unless the reporter is also the perpetrator, the good faith of the reporter is presumed. Anyone who “intentionally” violates the law, by failing to report as required, however, may be fined up to $1,000, imprisoned up to six months or both. It is not a defense that the defendant was unaware of the statutory duty to report suspected child abuse. The law also provides additional protections for mandatory reporters. Under the law, any person who is a mandatory reporter of suspected child abuse or neglect, and who makes a report, in good faith, as required under current law, may not be (1) discharged from employment; (2) disciplined or otherwise discriminated against in regard to employment; or (3) threatened with discipline, discrimination, or discharge from employment for making the report. | Mandatory Training The law also requires mandatory training.9 Each school board must require every employee of its school district to receive training from the DPI in identifying children who have been abused or neglected and in the laws and procedures governing the reporting of suspected or threatened child abuse and neglect. The training must be provided within the first six months after starting work and at least once every five years after

that initial training. The DPI has made training that meets these statutory requirements available on its website. | Conclusion Child abuse and neglect remain serious concerns in Wisconsin. Under prior law, the list of school district employees who qualified as mandatory reporters was limited. However, after recent changes to the law, the list of mandatory reporters within school districts now extends to all school employees. Because of this broad scope, it is important for school district officials to understand the legal requirements associated with reporting suspected or threatened child abuse or neglect. Understanding the legal requirements will also certainly help any children who are suffering from such abuse or neglect. Boards are well advised to review their policies to be sure that they provide training and guidance for employees, as well as statutory compliance to ensure protection for the district. | Endnotes 1. For additional information related to this topic, see Wisconsin School News, “Child Abuse Reporting: The Buck Starts Here” (October 1991). 2. State v. Hurd, 135 Wis. 2d 266 (1986). 3. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, The School’s Role in Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect, January 2013. 4. Id. 5. 192 Wis.2d 552, 531 N.W.2d 619 (Ct. App. 1995). 6. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, The School’s Role in Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect, January 2013. 7. 2002 WI 74, 253 Wi.s2d 527, 646 N.W.2d 330 (2002). 8. 79 Wis. Op. Att’y Gen. 49 (1990) (OAG 9-90). 9. Wis. Stat. s. 118.07(5). This Legal Comment was written by Michael J. Julka and Richard F. Verstegen of Boardman & Clark llp, WASB Legal Counsel.

Legal Comment is designed to provide authoritative general information, with commentary, as a service to WASB members. It should not be relied upon as legal advice. If required, legal advice regarding this topic should be obtained from district legal counsel.

December 2014

Q&A

A S S O C I AT I O N N E W S

Service Associate Q&A

Al Jaeger of Associated Financial Group covers employee wellness programs, OPEB and other benefits issues

Is it important for school board members to be educated in employee benefit issues? Why?

Absolutely! Ultimately the board answers to the community in terms of being responsible for decisions made. Therefore, being informed on why the district is doing what they do is critical and fundamental to their responsibilities.

Q. Employee wellness programs are gaining momentum with school districts. What benefits can such a program offer to employees?

A. Some of the individual benefits

include: knowledge, awareness and resources to have a lifestyle that positively impacts the employee’s physical and mental health. Individually the benefits are clear; collectively the benefits are substantial to the district and community culture.

Q. If a district is interested in devel-

oping an employee wellness program, what are some issues it should be aware of?

A. One of the top priorities should be how best to establish a progressive plan of action that would build around the priorities of the district and coordinate with all the other cultural priorities of the district. Meanwhile, there are many legal areas of consideration that are important to be aware of but having the assistance of a benefit professional that does exactly this for a living will mitigate that concern. Q. What are some strategies school

districts are using to keep post-employment benefits sustainable?

A. Defined contribution has become the most common buzz word when 32

Wisconsin School News

establishing a strategy for OPEB planning. The whole idea of defined contribution begins with understanding where the district lies in terms of culture, communication and priorities. Once a sense of those areas are established, developing a full fledge plan for the upcoming three to five years will assist in understanding how best to convert to a defined contribution plan that is sustainable from a budget standpoint and valuable from a retiree standpoint.

Q. From a benefit standpoint, what can districts do to retain quality educators? A. Ultimately there is a statewide sense that free agency for quality staff has begun. Therefore, benefit changes cannot occur in a budgeting vacuum. The primary reason that districts offer benefits is to position themselves to attract and retain quality staff. Understanding where the district is in terms of comparison to peer districts is critical. Understanding how other districts are doing more with less is equally as critical. Q. What is new or changing in the world of employee benefits that school board members need to be aware of? A. Everything! Budget is the most

significant challenge for benefit consideration. On one hand, medical trends have prohibited districts from maintaining the status quo in terms of benefit offering and plan design because the district budget is not rising as fast as medical trends. On the other hand, staff members are feeling their personal budget getting pinched harder and harder as pay raises are being outmatched by the staff members cost share increases

Al Jaeger is a senior benefits consultant with Associated Financial Group, LLC.

each year. Therefore, the budgeting process has continued to have a balancing act on which budget is getting more compromised and more important to address. Compliance is also a growing challenge as there are significant legal considerations that need to be tracked and planned for to make sure the district is making an informed decision on how best to address the upcoming and ongoing compliance challenges. Long-term planning: Understanding how your district compares to peer districts needs to include both benefits and pay strategies that play out over the course of multiple years. Otherwise, decisions made today could have unintended consequences in a couple years. The complexities can become overwhelming unless you have an experienced planner assisting in the navigation/ planning process. n The WASB Service Associates Program includes more than 20 businesses and organizations that have been recognized by the WASB Board of Directors as reputable businesses and partners of public education in Wisconsin. For more information, visit wasb.org and select “Service Associates.”

Quality Educational Services And Products 2 0 1 4 WA S B S E RV I C E A S S O C I AT E S ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, PLANNING, INTERIORS AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT BRAY ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS INC. 1202A N. 8th St., PO Box 955 Sheboygan, WI 53082-0955 Phone 920-459-4200 www.brayarch.com Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, Referendum Support

DLR GROUP 520 Nicollet Mall, Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55420 Phone 612-977-3500 www.dlrgroup.com Architecture, Engineering, Planning, Interiors, Construction Management

HOFFMAN PLANNING, DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION, INC. 122 E. College Ave. PO Box 8034 Appleton, WI 54911 Phone 800-236-2370 www.hoffman.net Planners, Architects and Construction Managers

PLUNKETT RAYSICH ARCHITECTS LLP 11000 W. Park Pl. Milwaukee, WI 53224 Phone 414-359-3060 www.prarch.com Architectural and Interior Design Services

COMPUTER HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, CONSULTING SKYWARD INC. 5233 Coye Dr. Stevens Point, WI 54481 Phone 715-341-9406 www.skyward.com Developer of student, budgetary and human resource administrative software exclusively for K-12 school districts.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, CONTRACTING, CONSULTING J.H. FINDORFF & SON INC. 300 S. Bedford St. Madison, WI 53703 Phone 608-257-5321 www.findorff.com Construction Services

J.P. CULLEN & SONS INC. PO Box 1957 Janesville, WI 53547-1957 Phone 608-754-6601 www.jpcullen.com General Contractor

VJS CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

EMC INSURANCE COMPANIES

W233 W2847 Roundy Circle Dr. Pewaukee, WI 53072 Phone 262-542-9000 www.vjscs.com Construction Services

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ENERGY SERVICES CONTINUUM ENERGY 113 South Main Street #200 Lodi, WI 53555 Phone 608-576-3592 www.seminoleenergy.com Retail natural gas services into all Wisconsin utility companies, including national and commercial customers.

FINANCE, BANKING, CONSULTING SPRINGSTED INCORPORATED 710 Plankinton Ave., Suite 804 Milwaukee, WI 53203-1100 Phone 414-220-4250 www.springsted.com Advisors to the Public Sector in Finance, Human Resources and Management Consulting Services.

INSURANCE ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES 1289 Deming Way, Suite 208 Madison, WI 53717 Phone 608-828-3741 Fax 608-828-3757 www.ajgrms.com Gallagher specializes in serving the risk management and insurance needs of public schools.

ASSOCIATED FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC 8040 Excelsior Dr. Madison, WI 53717 Phone 608-259-3666 Al.Jaeger@associatedfinancialgroup.com www.associatedfinancialgroup.com Our focus is financial security options that protect and assist growth. We go beyond simply protecting against the loss of assets and property.

COMMUNITY INSURANCE CORPORATION 18550 W. Capitol Dr. Brookfield, WI 53045 Phone 800-236-6885 www.communityinsurancecorporation.com Community Insurance Corporation is dedicated to providing school districts with the tools they need to economically and efficiently address today’s changing insurance and risk-management environment.

HUMANA N19 W24133 Riverwood Dr. Suite 300 Waukesha, WI 53188 Phone: 800-289-0260 www.humana.com Insurance Company

KEY BENEFIT CONCEPTS, LLC 2717 N. Grandview Blvd., Suite 205 Waukesha, WI 53188 Phone: 262-522-6415 www.keybenefits.com Actuarial and employee benefit consulting services.

M3 INSURANCE 3113 W. Beltline Hwy. Madison, WI 53713 Phone 800-272-2443 dale.vandam.m3ins.com M3’s dedicated education specialists combine more than 100 years of experience and expertise to provide schools with the very best in risk management, employee benefits and property and casualty insurance.

MARITIME INSURANCE GROUP 832 Niagra Ave. Sheboygan, WI 53082 Phone 920-457-7781 Fax 920-459-0251 mmrdjenovich@hubinternational.com www.hubinternational.com

R&R INSURANCE 1581 E. Racine Ave. Waukesha, WI 53186 Phone 262-574-7000 www.myknowledgebroker.com R&R Insurance’s School Practice Group has more than 25 years of educational institution experience and a dedicated Resource Center designed with school district’s risk and claims management needs in mind.

TRICOR INSURANCE 2001 W. Beltline Hwy., Suite 201 Madison, WI 53713 Phone 877-468-7426 john@tricorinsurance.com www.tricorinsurance.com TRICOR now insures over 150 public schools. TRICOR’s School Practice Team is made up of a diverse group of experienced individuals who are extensively trained (30+ years experience) and specialized in school insurance products, risk management, support services, loss control, human resources and claims advocacy.

NATIONAL INSURANCE SERVICES OF WISCONSIN, INC. 250 South Executive Dr., Suite 300 Brookfield, WI 53005-4273 Phone 800-627-3660 slaudon@nisbenefits.com www.NISBenefits.com National Insurance Services has been a specialist in public sector benefits since 1969. Our insured products include: Health, Dental, Disability, Life and Long-Term Care Insurance. Our financial solution products include: Health Reimbursement Accounts, OPEB Trusts (Fixed or Variable), Special Pay Plan and Flexible Spending Accounts.

UNITEDHEALTHCARE 10701 W Research Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53226 Phone 414-443-4094 www.uhctogether.com/schoolsinWI www.uhc.com UnitedHealthcare’s mission is to help people live healthier lives by providing access to high quality, affordable health care. We are committed to improving the health care experience of K-12 teachers, staff, retirees and their families in the state of Wisconsin by providing Better Information, to drive Better Decisions, to help Improve Health.

WILLIS OF WISCONSIN, INC. 400 N. Executive Dr., Suite 300 Brookfield, WI 53005 www.willis.com Public sector practice

LEGAL SERVICES BUELOW VETTER BUIKEMA OLSON & VLIET LLC 20855 Watertown Rd., Suite 200 Waukesha, WI 53186 Phone: 262.364.0300 www.buelowvetter.com The attorneys at Buelow Vetter have decades of experience in representing school boards across the State of Wisconsin. We advise school boards and administrators on a variety of issues from labor and employment to student discipline and expulsion.

PHILLIPS BOROWSKI, S.C. 10140 N. Port Washington Rd. Mequon, WI 53092 Phone: 262.241.7779 www.phillipsborowski.com tlhe@phillipsborowski.com Phillips Borowski, S.C. works with schools throughout the state to guide them through the complex system of laws and regulations affecting school operations.

SUPPORTING, PROMOTING AND ADVANCING PUBLIC EDUCATION

Pre-Convention Workshops

An In-Depth Look at Important K-12 Issues Tuesday, January 20, 1-5pm The Secret to School Board Member Success

Leading for Learning in the Digital Age

Learn about the skills and strategies that all board members must master to be effective.

In this interactive session, learn about technical readiness; why the expanded use of digital resources is so critical for this generation of students; and how technology can facilitate a personalized learning experience for each child.

Dr. David Lee, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, University of Southern Mississippi

NSBA Technology Leadership Network

Legal & Financial Roles & Responsibilities WASB staff counsel address important issues, including: open meetings, public records, conflicts of interest, relevant statutes, the budgeting process, and more. Wisconsin Association of School Boards

School Finance Puzzle Gain a conceptual understanding of revenue limits, equalization aid, property taxes and referendums through this hands-on workshop. Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials

Visit wasb.org/convention for complete details.