Merrill board approves handbooks, insurance renewals, Securly filter and training purchase

The Merrill Area School District board on April 15 approved a series of administrative and contractual items for the 2026–27 school year, including student and staff handbooks, insurance renewals, a Securly internet-filter renewal and a training purchase funded through Title 4.

Handbooks: The board approved the 2026–27 elementary student handbook, Prairie River Middle School handbook and course descriptions, the high school student handbook/planner, the pool employee handbook and the support-staff and teacher handbooks after committee review. Board members noted that substantive midyear changes to handbooks would return to the board because those changes effectively establish school-level policy.

Technology: The board approved renewing the Securly internet-safety filter. The committee-recommended motion cited a total contract amount of $89,870; board discussion clarified that cost will be amortized over five years (approximately 20 percent recognized annually) and the payments will come from the technology budget.

Food service: The board approved the 2026–27 food service contract. The transcript contains inconsistent spellings for the vendor (referenced as "Tahir Inc" in the topic sheet and as "Tower Inc" in a motion); the district did not clarify the contractor name during the public meeting.

Insurance and benefits: The board approved renewal of health insurance for FY2027 (including adopting a captive solution described as Innovative Captive Solutions), renewal of dental and vision with rates unchanged, and approval of employee ancillary benefit coverages as presented. Administrative staff said the primary goal of negotiations was to manage costs for both the district and employees.

Training: The board approved a purchase order for Safe and Civil Schools training that includes up to $20,000 in travel expenses for facilitators, to be paid from Title 4 funds for the 2026–27 school year.

Consent agenda and finance highlights: The consent agenda passed and included minutes from March meetings, claims/vouchers and receipts totaling $3,242,060.16, donations totaling $3,792.50 and an attached personnel report. Board members noted this is the final year of the current food-service contract and additional work will occur as the district transitions vendors or negotiates next steps.

All routine motions passed on voice votes with no recorded roll-call tallies except where the board later took roll call to convene closed session for personnel matters.