McFarland board approves village park agreement and transfers virtual students back to resident districts

The McFarland School District Board of Education on Dec. 1 approved two action items: an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of McFarland to use the community park as a cross‑country course and associated programming, and recommended transfers of students from Destinations Career Academy and Insight School of Wisconsin back to their resident districts because of lack of engagement.

Board discussion on the park agreement emphasized multi‑year coordination with the village and the district’s ability to use the facility outside school hours for cross‑country practices, events and other recreation programming. "For a nominal fee, it provides the district access to the park for a couple of things," said a district presenter during the motion discussion, describing the arrangement as similar to a prior collaboration for a hockey arena and useful for non‑school‑day programming.

The board voted 4‑0 to adopt the village agreement. Later in the meeting, members voted 4‑0 to approve recommended student transfers from the two virtual providers back to resident districts, a personnel/placement action described as driven by students’ lack of engagement. Board members noted that the transfer list was organized by grade level, which a member said made it easier to review.

Earlier in the meeting the board had moved into a closed session under Wisconsin statute 19.851(c) to discuss "employment, promotion, compensation, or performance evaluation data" connected to a certified‑staff retirement request; no personnel details were disclosed during open session. The meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m.

What happens next: the park agreement provides district access for programming; the approved student transfers will be processed with families and resident districts per district practice.