District accepts several CTE and student-support grants, approves parent representatives for instructional council

The Wisconsin Rapids School District’s Educational Services Committee reported to the board on Sept. 8 that it recommended acceptance of multiple grants and approved parent representatives for the Council for Instructional Improvement.

The committee recommended—and the board moved to approve—the following parent representatives selected by random draw after an application process: McKenna Detler to serve on the Council for Instructional Improvement for the 2025–26, 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years; and Christie Ege to serve on the CII for the 2025–26, 2026–27 and 2027–28 school years.

Career and technical education grants

Technical Education Coordinator Eric Seiler briefed the committee on four CTE grants the district received and the committee recommended acceptance of the awards:

- Carl Perkins Grant: $51,034; intended to support dual-credit courses, industry credentials and development of state and regional pathways. - Technical Incentive Grant: $59,952; awards up to $1,000 per student for each class for approved industry‑recognized credential claims (the committee reported 96 approved claims that produced the cited total). - Youth Apprenticeship Grant: $16,615.95; funds work-based placements for students in DWD‑approved positions (examples cited: first‑year 450 hours; second‑year 900 hours). - Unlocking Wisconsin Pathways Mentor Grant: $2,529; Lincoln High School will serve as a mentor school for Gresham High School and the funds support mentoring activities.

Other grants and recognitions

- Gifted and Talented Students Education Program grant: The committee recommended acceptance of a $25,000 grant. Gifted-and‑talented coordinator Kelly Buhl said the funds would buy “drones for student use in the classroom” (described as two complete classroom sets) and three 3‑D printers for every elementary school.

- Peer Review and Mentor Grant: The consortium of Port Edwards Schools and Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools was awarded $24,772 to cover substitute costs and mentor stipends and to support new‑colleague groups; the committee recommended acceptance.

Updates and context

The committee also received a student presentation: Caitlin Mandrzycki, a Lincoln High School student, reported on HOSA’s international leadership conference in Nashville and accepted an award on behalf of Lincoln for service contributions. The committee discussed ESSA allocations at a district level: staff reported Title I funds of $1,182,000 (reading and math intervention, homeless program, professional development), Title II $172,822 (support for new‑teacher programs and professional development), Title III $13,763 (EL support) and Title IV $86,460 (conference attendance, parent outreach and LMS professional development). Staff also noted technical revisions to three NEOLA policies and said Superintendent Ron Rasmussen is authorized to implement minor technical changes to NEOLA policy language and inform the board.

Action taken

The board voted to approve the Educational Services consent items (ES1–ES4) and to accept the grants listed above.

Speakers

- Roxanne Fields, Director of Teaching and Learning (government) - Eric Seiler, Technical Education Coordinator (government) - Kelly Buhl, Gifted & Talented Coordinator (government) - Caitlin Mandrzycki, student, Lincoln High School (student) - Ron Rasmussen, superintendent (government)

Authorities

- Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (federal grant program referenced) - Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) — federal grant program referenced in allocations

Provenance

topicintro: {"block_id":"block_217.09","local_start":0,"local_end":540,"evidence_excerpt":"Okay, with that then, our first agenda item was parent representatives for the Council for Instructional Improvement. Roxanne Fields, our Director of Teaching and Learning explained the process that we used to select the parent representatives for the CIA or counsel for instructional improvement committee. 7 individuals asked for application materials, 3 were returned by the deadline, all 3 applicants met the minimum requirements to serve on the committee, so 2 representatives were randomly selected. So the committee recommends and I move to approve the following candidates chosen as the parent representatives. McKenna Detler to serve on the Council for Instructional Improvement for the 20 five-twenty 6 and 20 six-twenty 7 school years and Christie Ege to serve on the CII for the 20 five-twenty 6, 20 six-twenty 7, and 20 seven-twenty 8 school years."}

topfinish: {"block_id":"block_426.635","local_start":0,"local_end":236,"evidence_excerpt":"Roxy noted that the consortium of Port Edwards Schools and Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools were awarded the peer review mentor grant in the amount of $24,772 and this grant is used to cover substitute costs and mentor stipends for staff working with with our new colleagues as well as to support new colleague groups. And the committee recommends and I move to approve the acceptance of the 20 five-twenty 6 peer review mentor grant in the amount of $24,772 We"}