Jill Mason, the Holmen School District’s executive director of student services, presented a plan to continue and broaden the district’s partnership with Western Technical College and asked that the board place the affiliation agreement on the Jan. 12 consent agenda for approval.

Mason said the district already partners with Western for occupational therapy assistant clinical experiences and for two programs — early childhood education and foundations of teacher education — and that the proposed agreement is similar in structure to past memoranda of understanding. "Again, this is a similar MOU where it lasts 5 years," Mason said, explaining the intended duration and adding that the district can terminate the agreement if necessary.

Mason said staff member Nick Bakke has worked on recruiting placements in district buildings so students in Western’s programs can complete experience settings here; those placements help the district recruit educational assistants and potential hires. After the presentation the Chair asked if there were questions; none were raised. The district clerk confirmed that the affiliation agreement will be presented on the Jan. 12 consent agenda for board action.

The presentation did not include dollar amounts or specific placement counts; those details were not specified in the public meeting discussion. The board did not act on the affiliation agreement at the Dec. 22 meeting; it remains scheduled for the Jan. 12 consent agenda.