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Board hears maintenance, transportation and program updates; Renaissance reports gains and new prosthetics partnership
Summary
District staff updated trustees on building and grounds workload, transportation operations, expanded facilities, activities achievements, and Renaissance alternative‑program results; the board recognized volunteers and athletes with Wildcat Pride awards.
Trustees received multiple operational updates at the River Falls Board of Education meeting, including facilities and maintenance metrics, transportation and driver‑support improvements, activities and athletics accomplishments, and a detailed status report from the Renaissance alternative program.
Building & Grounds: Joe Hazelman described the scale of district assets (more than 800,000 square feet of buildings and roughly 48,000 square feet added since 2018) and said the department processes about 1,500 work orders on average; staffing shortfalls for subcustodian and seasonal grounds positions cause some overtime and weekend work. He credited recent construction partners for completing projects on time and on budget.
Transportation: Todd Bernap, director of transportation, showcased the new bus shop with mobile lifts and described route operations (47 drivers on the roster, about 352 miles driven daily and roughly 613,000 miles annually). He highlighted driver‑support amenities (a larger break room, driver appreciation activities) and an approved driver mentorship program intended to strengthen retention and onboarding.
Renaissance program and partnerships: Peggy Webb and Jerry Miller presented assessment results—64% of students gained scaled reading scores (goal 80%); 73% gained in math (goal 80%), and staff have required all Renaissance students to take at least one math class this year. They reported enrollment churn across terms and recent outreach to homeschool and neighboring districts. Staff also announced a new charter partnership with Enable to develop and print prosthetic limbs for people who lack access; the program will be one of two such charters in Wisconsin.
Student recognition and activities: The board presented Wildcat Pride awards to a volunteer chess leader and to the St. Corey Valley Fusion girls hockey team for sportsmanship and a state runner‑up finish. Activities director David summarized multiple conference and regional titles, 20 collegiate athletic commitments among recent seniors, and strong participation rates: 78% of students participate in at least one activity or sport.
Trustee action: Consent items (minutes, bills, employment recommendations, and policy readings moved from consent) were approved as presented on a unanimous vote. The board thanked staff for operational work that supports instruction and community programs.
What to watch: Staff will continue recruiting for custodial and seasonal grounds roles, implement the driver mentorship program, and follow up on Renaissance enrollment and the Enable prosthetics collaboration.
