Mosinee board approves 2025‑26 co‑curricular schedule after debate on workload and contracts
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Summary
After a public comment by the teachers’ union president warning that folding co‑curricular duties into regular teacher contracts could reduce prep time and drive staff away, the Mosinee School Board approved the 2025‑26 co‑curricular positions schedule with administrative oversight and an annual review.
The Mosinee School Board on Monday approved its 2025‑26 schedule of co‑curricular positions after a sustained discussion about whether advising and extracurricular duties belong inside or outside teachers’ primary contracts. The motion to approve the list, moved by a director and seconded on the floor, passed by voice vote.
Laurie Notzke, a high‑school teacher and president of the Mosinee Education Association, urged the board during public comment to preserve separate co‑curricular contracts. “Teachers have just had an additional duty added to our normal teaching day contract,” Notzke said, adding the change reduced prep time “by about half” and that teachers have accepted extra workload only because of budget constraints. She warned that combining duties into the base contract could create inequities in workload and pay and could push educators to other districts.
Board members and administrators weighed competing concerns. Directors said consolidating duties could simplify paperwork and save administrative time; others warned it could make positions harder to staff and reduce the district’s ability to attract people with specialized skills for roles such as FFA advising. One board member noted that co‑curricular agreements are at‑will and distinct from the statutory protections tied to teacher contracts, while administrators said the district had already removed inactive items and updated the list earlier in the year.
Administration recommended approval with the condition that the list receive annual administrative review to identify positions with declining participation or that are no longer meeting. The board adopted that recommendation and directed administration to continue annual monitoring and to return recommendations for adjustments.
What this means: The district will keep a broad slate of non‑athletic extracurriculars that officials said contribute to student engagement. At the same time, the board instructed administrators to track participation and budget impacts so low‑participation activities can be evaluated before the next contract cycle.
The item was recorded as a formal motion and carried by the board. The administration noted contracts for the current year have already been issued, so any changes requiring addenda would be considered for the next hiring/contract cycle.