Board approves policies, staff stipends and school calendars; endorses nursing plan and renames municipal field

The Manitowoc School District Board of Education on June 16 approved a series of policies, staffing incentives and calendar items, accepted the district nursing services plan and formally set a date to rename the municipal baseball field.

Key votes at a glance: The board approved the personnel report and several board policies (including Policy 12-60 on incapacity of the district administrator and a new wireless communication devices policy), established a $1,500 annual stipend for speech-language pathologists holding a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), accepted the district nursing services plan, approved the elementary collaboration and planning calendar tied to Act 20 (science of reading training), approved 4K start-of-year conferences as a calendar event, and adopted a proclamation renaming Municipal Field as Bruce Steinbecker Field effective June 19, 2025.

Why it matters: The votes affect operating practices (policies on administrator incapacity and student-wearable devices), staffing competitiveness (stipend for clinicians in a tight labor market), and instructional planning (elementary planning time and state-mandated Act 20 training). The nursing plan and the stipend affect daily student health and special-education service capacity.

Staffing stipend: The board approved a motion to provide an annual $1,500 stipend to speech-language pathologists who hold the CCC credential. The motion was introduced by a board member and approved after committee discussion. Board debate noted the competitive market for clinicians: one member said some nearby districts offer stipends up to $4,000, and committee members described the district as being "on the low side" compared with peers. District staff said the stipend is intended as a recruitment and retention tool; the district reported it currently has 12 full-time equivalent speech-language positions and said it is fully staffed at the time of the meeting, while acknowledging nationwide shortages and rising service demand.

Policies and procedure changes: The board approved Board Policy 12-60 (incapacity of the district administrator). Directors debated proposed language in a separate policy on curriculum modification (Policy 2451); an amendment to require that the board always be notified (changing "or" to "and") failed on a voice vote and the board directed the policy committee to review the language further. The board voted to adopt a new wireless communication devices policy; during discussion members emphasized the need for a school office to be staffed to answer parent calls.

Instructional calendars and nursing services: The board accepted the district nursing services plan, which staff said showed a 9% increase in nurse visits over the prior year and noted expanded use of district-stocked medications (with parent permission) to keep students in class. The elementary collaboration and planning-time calendar was approved to support Act 20 implementation (science-of-reading training); the district plans summer training for over 100 staff and monthly or half-day collaboration blocks in the coming year. The board also approved scheduling 4K family conferences as part of the calendar.

Facility naming: The board acted on a proclamation to rename Municipal Field as Bruce Steinbecker Field, effective Thursday, June 19, 2025, so signage, schedules and publicity can reflect the formal name ahead of the field's reopening.

Closed session: At the meeting's end the board voted to convene a closed session to receive legal advice about pending or potential litigation; the chair cited section 19.811 g of the meeting transcript as the statutory authority for the closed-session discussion.

Vote records and next steps: Most items were approved by voice vote or roll call as indicated in the minutes. The board asked the policy committee to reexamine the curriculum modification language and directed administration to continue recruitment actions and to report back on the financial and operational impacts of the approved stipend and calendars.