Board approves series of capital purchases, service contracts and accepts donations; finance committee details equipment and service items

At its April 28 meeting the Germantown School Board approved a package of finance-committee recommendations, authorizing facility repairs, equipment purchases, a special-education services contract and accepting numerous community donations.

Contracted services and capital equipment: the board approved a Vision Education Services of Wisconsin contract for the 2025–26 school year that the finance committee capped at $112,000 and directed to be funded from the IDEA flow-through grant for special education vision and orientation/mobility services. The board also approved replacement of District Office DX unit No. 2 at $60,915, funded from the capital-improvement fund; approved hiring Butters Fetting Corp. to replace a cooling coil (RTU 06) at Germantown High School (the unit had caused a cafeteria flood in January 2024); and approved a $37,675 package to update the GHS server room (air conditioning component, VMware license and hardware and battery backup replacement).

Technology and classroom equipment: the board approved purchase of six Smart Boards for elementary classrooms ($16,770) and 62 loaner Chromebooks and associated Google licenses ($18,274.50), both of which the finance committee recommended. The Rockfield PTA also pledged to donate six Smart Boards; the board moved forward pending formal acceptance of the donation. The committee also authorized purchases related to building air-handling and other capital improvements identified in the facility condition assessment.

Donations and grants: during the consent agenda the board accepted multiple community donations supporting a range of student programs and equipment — examples included a $1,000 gift to the high school robotics team, $2,000 for a kiln at Rockfield Elementary, a $2,700 school fundraising for the Washington County Humane Society and multiple PTA donations for field trips, document cameras, Chromebooks and classroom equipment. The finance committee noted the Rockfield PTA donation will allow more uniform classroom interactive displays across elementary schools.

Funding and next steps: finance chair summarized that many of the items will be funded from the capital-improvement fund or through grant/aid sources (IDEA, Common School Library Aid, PTA donations). Administration will proceed with procurement and scheduling for summer installations and report on expenditures in subsequent finance reports.