West Bend board launches high‑school configuration engagement, discusses WASB tiered‑membership proposal
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Summary
Superintendent Wimmer said the district will convene community meetings and focus groups through February and launch a public survey on high‑school configuration; the board also discussed a proposed WASB bylaw amendment allowing districts to opt out of advocacy while retaining services.
The West Bend Joint School District No. 1 will begin a community engagement window on high‑school configuration through February, Superintendent Wimmer told the board Jan. 12, and plans to convene community meetings, focus groups and a district‑hosted survey aimed at gathering public input.
"We'll be convening community meetings, and then some focus groups around the high school's configuration," Wimmer said. The administration plans to host the survey on the district’s site and link to explanatory videos and materials so community members who lack direct familiarity with district programs can learn more before responding. Focus groups will target athletics—identified as a core concern tied to configuration choices—and the district expects to open the survey the week of Jan. 19 after another counseling-survey closes.
Separately, board members discussed proposed 2026 Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) resolutions and a bylaw amendment that would create tiered membership levels so districts could retain access to policy resources and conventions while opting out of voting and advocacy. Board members said tiered membership could help some districts reduce dues but raised logistical questions about how the organization would maintain effective governance if many members opted out of advocacy.
One board member noted the potential trade-off: gaining policy and resource access while reducing influence on association advocacy. Administration recommended monitoring the WASB changes and returning to the board if tiered membership becomes available so the board can decide whether to adjust its level of participation.
Next steps: The district will launch the high-school configuration survey and convene focus groups; administration will report back to the board with survey results and recommended next steps for configuration decisions.