Edgar K-12 sets open enrollment limits

By Kevin O’Brien

Except for those who require special education services, students wishing to open-enroll into the Edgar School District next year will be free to do so after the school board voted last week to set no limits in any of its regular education grades.

With all of the district’s special education programs projected to be at or above capacity next year, the board voted not to accept new enrollees in 2025-2026, except under special circumstances. Specifically, if a student with disabilities has a sibling already enrolled in the district, they will be ensured a spot in the district as long as the school has the services available to meet their individual education plan (IEP).

“We would like to guarantee a space available if we currently have a family in Edgar, and a younger sibling qualifies, as long as we have the program and services listed in the IEPs,” said superintendent Cari Guden.

Right now, 48 students are already projected to be enrolled in the district’s speech and language program, which only has a capacity of 35, according to information presented to the board. “These numbers are calculated based on current special education students, as well as students who are currently in the evaluation process,” said special education coordinator Richard Twomey.

When asked how often students in the speech and language program meet with specialists, Twomey said several times a week for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. This includes one-on-one and group sessions.

“We have two very good people who do it,” he said.

Other business

■ Accountant Jon Trautman from CLA presented the results of the 2023-2024 audit, noting that the district ended last school year with about $620,000 in its unassigned fund balance. When divided against its $10.4 million in annual expenditures, Trainman said the district has 6 percent of its necessary expenses available in funds carried over from one year to the next.

“That’s low. You’ve heard me say that before. It’s been low for as long as I remember,” he said. “You’re not unlike any other small school districts. That number is increasing, though, so that’s a good sign. That’s a good trend.”

Trautman said the ideal fund balance is around 15 and 20 percent of expenditures, which would likely allow the district to operate without short-term borrowing, but he said it’s difficult for districts to reach that threshold under the state’s revenue limits.

“It’s not like you can just decide to stop spending money one day,” he said. “The goal is to keep it trending in that direction.”

■ District bookkeeper Morgan Mueller, during a quarterly financial report to the board, noted that the future of a $325 per pupil increase in allowable funding, included in the current state budget, is in doubt due to a case being heard by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

“I don’t know how school districts are supposed to survive if you take that away,” she said.

The legislature voted for the perpupil increase to expire this year, but Gov. Tony Evers used his veto power to extend it for 400 years by eliminating a dash between 24-25, a move that has been challenged.

Mueller also noted that the district is looking at a possible doubledigit increase in health insurance rates, even though it has done everything it can to lower medical costs among employees. Looking ahead, she said the district is likely to go to referendum again in either November of 2026 or April of 2027.

■ English teacher Amber Guldan, who recently took over the Edgar Theatre Company, told the board that a cast of 19 students and a five-student stage crew is preparing for its next production, scheduled for Feb. 7, 8 and 9. The play, a murder mystery centered around a 1939 radio broadcast, features some singing but is not a musical, she said.

“It has been overwhelmingly wonderful,” she said. “There’s such a wonderful support group that is attached to ETC. So, the dinner theater is happening and all of those other things that have kind of been a tradition here are going to continue to happen this year.”

■ Guden reported that 21 students are currently participating in Youth Apprenticeship and another four are involved in the district’s coop. Both programs partner with businesses to allow students to learn job skills. High school principal Mike Wilhelm said the co-op is only open to seniors, who must complete 90 hours on the job, and YA is open to junior and seniors with a 400-hour work requirement.

■ Elementary principal Lisa Witt said staff will be doing a review of the school’s math curriculum, Illustrative Math, meeting on a monthly basis to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses and analyzing standardized test scores. Witt said the school is committed to staying with Illustrative Math, so the annual Curriculum Week in August will be devoted to training with representatives from the Mathematics Institute of Wisconsin.

■ During public comment, district resident Pat Socha told board members how impressed he was with how well they work together and cooperate with district administrators.

“There’s not as much bickering as I see at some other board meetings — or no bickering I’ve seen,” he said. “That means you’re getting things done, and that passes on down to your staff, so everyone’s getting along.”