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MMSD board approves school-closing policy change, $30,000 partnership renewal and reappoints hearing officer
Summary
At its Feb. 24, 2025 meeting the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education approved revisions to the school‑closing/inclement‑weather policy, renewed a $30,000 partnership with Simpson Street Free Press for after‑school journalism instruction, and reappointed an independent hearing officer; motions passed unanimously.
The Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education approved several operational items during its Feb. 24, 2025 meeting, including a revision to the district's school‑closing policy, a $30,000 renewal for a partnership with Simpson Street Free Press, and the reappointment of an independent hearing officer for pupil expulsion proceedings.
Key votes at a glance
- School‑closing/inclement‑weather policy: The board revised policy 3031 (school closing) to update references (notably replacing some collective bargaining language with employee handbook language) and clarified notification procedures. The motion was adopted and the revision was made effective immediately.
- Simpson Street Free Press partnership ($30,000): The board approved a $30,000 allocation from the 2024–25 strategic partnerships operating budget to the Simpson Street Free Press for core-subject instruction via student‑led newspaper writing and publishing during after school and summer, contingent on a completed memorandum of agreement. The board noted this was a renewal of a prior partnership.
- Independent hearing officer reappointment: The board reappointed Matthew Bell to the district's pool of independent hearing officers for the 2024–25 school year under board policy 4045 and Wisconsin Statute 120.131(1)(e), ensuring the district meets statutory timelines for expulsion hearings.
Other consent actions: The board adopted the consent agenda and approved the minutes from its Jan. 27, 2025 regular meeting. All motions recorded at the meeting passed unanimously unless otherwise noted.
Why it matters: The policy revision updates district procedures for weather and closure decisions and clarifies communication responsibilities. The Simpson Street partnership funds continued journalism instruction and hands-on literacy supports for students. The reappointment of a hearing officer ensures the district has the required administrative capacity to carry out statutory due-process timelines for expulsions.
Implementation and next steps: District staff will finalize the Simpson Street memorandum of agreement, notify partner organizations of the approved funding, and proceed with the revised school‑closing procedures and hearing officer assignments.
