East Troy board approves donations, new courses and Hall of Fame proposal; posts election dates

At its regular meeting the East Troy Community School District Board approved a series of routine but consequential items: acceptance of donations and sponsorships, creation of a district Athletic Hall of Fame, approval of three new high-school courses and several course changes, and formal notice of the April 1, 2025 school board election filing deadline.

District staff listed five donations and sponsorship plans. "Assurance Roofing donated $5,000. The $5,000 donation will support science related projects and many other needs at Little Prairie Elementary," a district staff member said. The board also reviewed a Citizens Bank sponsorship package for multiple field signs; the presenter described an upfront payment plan amounting to $9,500 to cover remaining season and multiyear signage commitments. The board approved acceptance of donations and the sponsorship arrangement by voice vote.

The board approved three new courses proposed for East Troy High School: Writing for New Media (an English elective centered on nonfiction and journalism approaches), Equine and Large Animal Management (adds animal-focused coursework and community partnerships; about $500 per trimester in consumable materials), and a Biotechnology course cross-listed for science credit. On Biotechnology the presenter reported a wide range for startup costs: "The start up costs for this course are $151,500 to $2,000 depending on the labs that will be determined for the first year," and noted that the cost could be spread over multiple years.

Board members also approved course changes including making Accelerated Chemistry’s prerequisite a recommendation of Accelerated Biology, designating Speech to meet Law Day credit criteria (meets three of four criteria), and proposing AP Precalculus for next year following College Board’s rollout of the course option.

A community representative described the inaugural All Sports Booster Club Athletic Hall of Fame and asked the board to approve an honor wall; the board approved the plan and asked that details on mounting and preservation be worked out with facilities staff to avoid damage to building components.

The board posted the school board election for April 1, 2025; declarations of candidacy and campaign registration statements must be filed by 5 p.m. Jan. 7, 2025, at the district clerk’s office. The meeting concluded with the board adjourning to closed session to consider an employee leave of absence under State Statute 19.85.

Next steps: staff to coordinate with donors and sponsors on documentation, continue curriculum implementation planning for new courses and return with any budget implications, and post formal election materials per statute.