Residents say board hid resignation letters, call for transparency as teacher departures continue

Several residents told the Antigo Unified School District Board of Education on July 2025 that the district has not been transparent about recent staff resignations and that documents had been removed from the board packet.

At the board meeting, Nicole Kubiakuk, identifying herself as a longtime community member and Antigo High School graduate, addressed the consent agenda and said two resignation letters (including one for “Mike Pruzik”) were missing from the packet and asked why the board removed them. "Was this conduct done on purpose in an attempt to hide from the public the ever growing list of resignations?" she asked.

Chelsea Kubiakczyk, who said she was speaking for herself and others, told the board that nine people at the previous meeting had reported “bullying, a lack of support, and unanswered questions,” and said media reports about staff turnover and alleged toxic conditions have not prompted “meaningful action.” "The board continues to sit here as if all is well," she said.

A district administrator responding to the questions said the district follows specific procedures on when resignations appear in the public packet and that, after consulting the district attorney, resignations and new hires are not public information until after the board votes. The administrator explained timing is tied to payroll clearing, release of contract, and in some cases liquidated damages and thus may not appear in the same month the resignation is submitted.

Speakers at the meeting cited board policy language while urging greater transparency. One public commenter referenced “Policy 167.3” and another read from “Policy 1210 — district administrator relationship” to argue the board must hold administrators accountable and use the annual evaluation to consider staffing outcomes.

Board members and administrators acknowledged community concern. In the discussion that followed, several board members urged improved communication to reduce negative publicity and to help recruitment, while others described limits on what can be released before personnel actions are finalized.

The board did not take separate formal action on the transparency complaints during the meeting; the items about resignations and the consent agenda proceeded as part of the general consent items.

Why this matters: Commenters tied disclosure of resignations to teacher recruitment and retention, saying lack of transparency harms trust and may discourage candidates from accepting jobs in Antigo. Administrators said legal and personnel-process limits determine when names are released.