Milwaukee School District board goes into closed session over School Resource Officer matter and possible employment agreement

The Milwaukee School District Board of School Directors, at a special meeting called by President Marba Gerndin, voted to retire into closed session to consider matters related to School Resource Officers and the "consideration of and possible action on employment agreement" for Dr. Brenda Kascelles, according to the board record in the meeting transcript.

Board documents and the meeting notice stated that public testimony would not be taken at the special meeting. The meeting was conducted in person at the district's Central Services Building and was broadcast via WYMS radio, the MPS website and the district's YouTube stream, the record states.

The board cited Wisconsin statute references in announcing the closed session; the transcript records several statute citations as read during the meeting notice. After discussion, the board retired into closed session and later returned to open session, per the meeting record.

During the open portion of the meeting a motion was made "to approve and authorize" funding (transcript wording unclear) with associated names listed in the record: Director Simsen and Director Zamber are named in proximity to that motion and President Marba Gerndin is listed as present. The transcript does not record a clear vote tally or specify the funding amount or the program to be funded; those details are not specified in the record provided.

The meeting included procedural clarifications that staff and the board would rely on the cited Wisconsin statutes for the closed-session authority; the transcript repeats that the board will not take public comment at this meeting and points attendees to the district's website for agendas and attachments.

No direct quotes attributing substance about the employment agreement, the terms under consideration, or specific actions taken in closed session appear in the transcript excerpt provided. The transcript identifies the personnel matter and the SRO topic as the reason for the closed session but does not include further particulars about any agreement, compensation amount, or implementation steps in the public record excerpt.

The district did not open the meeting for public testimony on the record; attendees were directed to the board's online materials for additional attachments and information.

For records and attachments the transcript directs interested parties to the Milwaukee School District meetings, agendas and minutes page on the MPS website and the board broadcast page.