Cedarburg School Board approves open-enrollment seats, 10-year capital plan and Character Strong use; donations accepted

The Cedarburg School Board on Jan. 15 approved multiple routine and policy items, including the consent agenda, the district's open-enrollment seat offerings for 2025'26, its long-term capital improvement plan and the temporary use of the Character Strong social-emotional resource at Webster Middle School. The board also accepted $111,124.05 in donations for district programs and facilities.

Why it matters: The open-enrollment and capital-plan votes set administrative parameters for next school year and for which projects may be funded from Fund 46; the Character Strong approval allows Webster to continue a common SEL/homeroom resource while the district conducts a fuller review this spring and summer.

The board approved the consent agenda, which included minutes from the Dec. 18, 2024 regular meeting, the budget and finance summary (account summary, check register, check detail and credit-card transaction reports) and the personnel report. A motion to approve the consent agenda passed unanimously.

Open enrollment: The board approved the district's open-enrollment seat offerings for 2025'26. The district will offer one regular-education open-enrollment seat for kindergarten and for grades 1'5 (four seats listed in transcript as 4 ks, kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth, fifth and ninth), nine seats for grade 10, and zero seats at other grades for a total of 17 regular-education seats; special-education seats were listed as zero. The motion passed unanimously.

Long-term capital improvement plan: The board approved the district's long-term capital improvement plan, which is a required step for using Fund 46 for projects. Board members emphasized that inclusion on the plan does not constitute project approval and that each project will return to the board for individual approval and budgeting. Members asked for clearer public-facing notes indicating projects on the plan are not guaranteed Fund 46 expenditures and that the plan is reviewed and revised annually. The motion passed unanimously.

Character Strong at Webster: The board voted to approve use of the Character Strong resource at Webster Middle School for the remainder of the 2024'25 school year, with a complete resource review to occur during the 2025 spring/summer. The motion carried 6'1. Before the final vote, Board member Erickson moved an amendment to add an assurance that 'some sort of SEL program will be in place for the 2025'26 school year'which was considered separately and did not carry on a 5'2 vote. The final approval implements a temporary continuation of Character Strong while the district reviews alternatives; board members discussed community concerns and the need for a robust review of SEL evidence.

Donations: The board accepted donations totaling $111,124.05 for January, including $93,280 from the Cedarburg Education Foundation to support phase 2 of the Cedarburg High School media/VR lab; $11,745 from the Foundation for an elementary-level 'Connecting to Community' learning experience; $3,599.05 from the Webster PTO for a large-format makerspace printer; $2,000 from the CHS Athletic Booster Club for a lacrosse netting system; and $500 from the Ozaukee Nonprofit Center to update the CHS mascot costume. The board approved the donations unanimously.

Other formal action: The meeting opened with approval of the consent agenda and concluded with a motion in order and unanimous roll-call approval to adjourn.

Looking ahead: Several items on the capital plan (including turf replacements discussed for 2032'35 in the plan) will return to the board as separate project approvals; board members asked for clearer public notes on funding sources (booster clubs, fundraising, E'rate, or Fund 46) when those projects are brought forward.