Delano school board approves gifts, personnel lane changes and a proposed levy limit; multiple policies advanced

The Delano School Board voted to accept four donations earmarked for district programs and approved personnel lane-change requests from staff who completed graduate coursework. A roll-call vote approved the resolution of gifts: Charities Aid Foundation, $44 for Delano Elementary; Delano Education Foundation, $2,500 for the Elementary/Intermediate STEP program; Avaya Pile Prints, $75.37 for Delano High School; and United Way, $500 for Delano ECFE. Board Members Roser, Deba, Baker, Gerke, Schaus and Moraila voted aye during the roll call. The personnel report noted 20 lane changes total, including three staff who achieved master’s degrees—Nicole Gomen, Megan Hovec and Rachel Matthews—and 17 additional staff who changed lanes for the 2025–26 year. The board approved the personnel report by motion. On tax matters, the board approved the proposed 2025 pay 2026 property tax levy limitation certification report—the document that informs county officials of the district’s proposed levy—and set the Truth-in-Taxation hearing for Monday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Delano High School Tiger Den. The motion to approve the proposed levy was made by Jim and seconded by Shouse; the motion carried. The board also advanced or adopted multiple policies. Second reads and approvals were recorded for policy 5.34 (unpaid meal charges), policy 6.18 (assessment of student achievement), policy 6.21 (literacy and the Reading (READ) Act), and policy 6.24 (online instruction). The board approved a set of first-and-only youth-related policies listed under the agenda (including policies 2.05; 4.04; 4.05; 4.07; 4.15; 4.20; 4.24; and 5.08) and approved the first read of policy 2.10 (conflict of interest for school board members) following a work-session discussion. Ending: The meeting adjourned after routine votes; administrators said the final levy certification and other follow-up items will return at the December meeting.