Colby school district explores grad requirements
By Brian Wilson The Star-News
Members of the Colby School Board on Monday opened the door to a reduced graduation requirement for students in the alternative high school program.
The district contracts with Abbotsford School District for the Falcon Enterprises Alternative High School program. In order to receive a Colby High School diploma, students must complete the 24 credits required by school policy in order to graduate. This is well above the state’s minimum requirements for a high school diploma.
Superintendent Steve Kolden presented a proposal that students in the Falcon Enterprises alternative high school program could earn a “Falcon Diploma” by meeting the state’s minimum of 15.5 credits.
“Where we struggle is some of our new students that enter as sophomores and juniors and have zero credits,” Kolden said, noting that in those entering often have very little English skills and credit recovery can be very difficult.
“The odds of them graduating is zero to none,” he said of meeting the higher standards of the traditional high school.
Kolden said that while proposing an option that would meet state minimum requirements, they didn’t want to weaken the standards for Colby High School graduates so they proposed creating a new diploma for people going through Falcon Enterprises. Students from the Colby District who attend Falcon would still have the option of receiving a Colby High School diploma if they met the district’s requirements.
Kolden said a similar measure was being presented to the Abbotsford School Board for consideration. Board members unanimously approved the first reading for the policy change with board president William Tesmer absent. It will come back for a second reading next month.
In related action, board members approved renewing the contract agreement with Abbotsford for participation in Falcon Enterprises Alternative High School.
See GRAD/ Page 9 Kolden explained the district shares in the cost of operating the program based on the the number of credits being attempted by district student.
“Do we have many students attending Falcon?” asked Cheryl Ploeckelman, board member.
“Yes,” Kolden replied, noting the more pathways to graduation that they can give students the better.
“Has there been any discussion about where it will be housed?” asked board member Eric Elmhorst.
Kolden said it had been discussed, but other options for location would result in increased costs.
Board members also approved a new agreement for the district’s continued participation in the Medford School District’s SOAR program which provides supplemental educational opportunities for special needs students between high school and age 21 which helps them prepare for that transition. The major change this year is that Phillips is joining the partnership. Costs are shared based on the number of students from each district participating in it with a commitment of $7,500 per year from each district to hold a place in the program. Kolden said they currently do not have anyone in the program, but have had students in the past in it and could have someone move into the district who needs those services.
_ The board approved 3.2 percent increases to the wage pools for teachers, hourly, executive exempt and administration employees with the increase to be divided equally among the employees. Kolden noted the 3.2 percent increase was the highest the district has done since Act 10 was passed in 2011. While the increase is below the CPI of 4.7 percent Kolden said “If you give 4.7 percent you have to sustain it.”
He noted the district is looking to health insurance increases of 8.5 to 10 percent in the coming year and revenues will not be increasing.
_ A motion was approved to restructure the district’s existing referendum debt from 2017 to allow the district to save about $404,000 in principal and interest payments.
_ The board approved a threeyear contract with Pleasant Prairiebased Dinamico to provide compensation software. Previously the district used a paper-based system of recording time sheets and with the contract will move this to a computer- based system. “What we have been doing is wildly inefficient,” said board member Todd Schmidt.
The cost of the contract is $15,500 which breaks down to $5,000 setup fee and a $3,500 per year for the software license.
_ The board approve the CESA 10 services contract for the coming school years with a total cost of $198,998. Kolden explained the nearly 30 percent increase was due to the increased demand and that cost of special education services for hearing, vision and mobility increased.
Kolden said the district would be unable to provide these services to existing students without working through CESA.
_ The board approved changes to the officiating pay rates. The new officiating rates are: middle school basketball $70; JV and C-team basketball $45; middle school swimming $45; middle school volleyball $70; C-team volleyball $45.
_ The board passed a motion adding a personal day which will come from the employee’s accrued sick time to be used between now and the end of the 2023 school year.
Employees are allowed two personal days per year. This action will temporarily increase that number to three through June 2023. It will not be able to be carried forward after that time.
_ The board approved handbook changes proposed by the Wisconsin Association of School Boards for legal changes relating to employees who are members of the National Guard and who are called up for active duty. Board members also increased the additional hourly compensation rate for support staff members who are licensed teachers when they are called on to fill in for a teacher who is out from $1.50 per hour to $5 per hour.
