Waunakee board advances first draft of budget, approves 2.95% base wage increase and 2026–27 calendar with virtual days for grades 7–12

At its May meeting the Waunakee Community School District Board approved the first draft of the 2025–26 budget and related student and facility fees, accepted multi‑group wage increases and adopted a 2026–27 instructional calendar that adds staff professional development days and schedules virtual learning days for grades 7–12.

Board members reviewed a budget described by staff as an early draft tied to state budget estimates. Board members and administrators noted the state budget process could change funding levels, particularly for special education and the per‑pupil increase. The board voted to approve the first draft of the budget, student fees and facility use fees; the motion passed with members saying “aye.” (No roll‑call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.)

On compensation, the board approved a 2.95% base wage increase for teachers and hourly employee groups. The board also approved supplemental compensation adjustments and a separate contractual action finalizing the teachers’ base increase; meeting materials stated the teacher association had accepted the administrative offer. For hourly employee groups the board approved an administrative recommendation funded in part by the district’s operational referendum: the board advanced a proposal that moves custodial/maintenance staff by one additional step, classified staff two steps and administrative assistants two steps. Board materials and speakers noted the operational referendum allocation had about $1 million assigned over two years for additional wage work; administrators warned the recommended step movements would use a portion of next year’s referendum allocation.

“Everybody’s advancing their wages forward,” a district presenter said; board members discussed tradeoffs among groups and the history of prior off‑cycle adjustments for custodial staff.

The board approved a short list of capital maintenance projects and a branding project list the facility committee had recommended. The board also approved a set of textbook adoptions and curriculum project requests that staff said were lower than the previous year’s totals.

On handbooks and policies, the board approved updated employee and student handbooks after staff presented a summary of substantive changes. School leaders highlighted a change in the K–6 family handbook that discourages bringing food treats for birthday celebrations, citing growing student allergy concerns and a desire to limit frequent, unmanaged food items in classrooms; principals will use nonfood recognition (for example, books or announcements) to mark birthdays.

The board approved open enrollment motions (one board member abstained) and voted to adopt the 2026–27 instructional calendar. The calendar adds four staff professional development days; the district will schedule those days so K–6 students are off and grades 7–12 complete virtual learning on four assigned days. District leaders said the virtual days are intended to preserve required instructional minutes while providing teacher collaboration time and professional development; administrators described the plan as a trial for 2026–27 and said the district will monitor access issues such as student device and Wi‑Fi needs.

Finally, the board scheduled a June special meeting to review high school and middle school campus information and heard routine committee reports. Several motions were handled by voice vote and the meeting record did not include full roll‑call tallies for most votes; where a named abstention occurred it was recorded in the minutes.