Burlington Area School District board elects officers, approves staff hires and calendar

The Burlington Area School District Board of Education elected its officers for the 2026–27 school year and approved staff appointments and the regular meeting calendar at its reorganization meeting Monday night.

Chair opened the meeting at 6:01 p.m. and outlined the annual process for electing a president, vice president, clerk and treasurer. Board member Paul moved to approve Taylor Wishaw as board president; Kate seconded the motion and the board approved it by voice vote. Wishaw accepted the office.

Marlo Brown was nominated and approved as vice president after a motion by Josh and a second from a colleague identified in the record as Coburn/Cobberneck; Brown confirmed acceptance. The board reappointed Mr. Coburn as clerk after a motion by Brown and a second by Johnson. Benjamin Puffer was approved as treasurer after a nomination and a voice vote; he accepted the role.

Members also authorized Aaron Warbell, the superintendent’s administrative assistant, to assist the board clerk for 2026–27. The authorization was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

The board discussed its regular meeting schedule, which is currently set for the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Several members said they were open to an earlier start time but noted staff concerns about dinner-night attendance and suggested reducing the number of dinner events rather than moving every meeting earlier. The board voted to retain the second-Monday schedule beginning at 6:30 p.m. for 2026–27.

The board appointed a delegate to Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) 2, which serves Burlington and hosts its annual delegation convention; several members noted conflicts with the June 16, 2026 date but the board approved a member to serve as the district’s CESA 2 delegate for 2026–27.

The board also appointed Mr. Coburn as the district’s Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASBA) legislative delegate for the January 2027 WASBA delegate assembly at the Baird Center in Milwaukee.

Chair recommended the board continue operating with its six existing committees (board governance; communications; legislative; building and grounds; finance and personnel; policy and teaching and learning). The board approved continuing the six committees and the chair asked members to submit committee assignment preferences by Friday.

HR Director Miss Seaglia presented a slate of certified staff appointments for the 2026–27 school year, including new hires and replacements: Drew Halbasma (assistant principal, Carter), Grace Anderson (special education teacher, Carter), Don Ble (school psychologist, Waller), Lauren Dufek (district-level school psychologist), Joseph Clemp (BHS English), Addison Mangold (BHS world languages), Andrew Om (BHS math), McKenzie Range (Cooper/Carter social worker), Sophia Romeo (Dyer fourth grade), Megan Seaglia (BHS [role stated as "face" teacher in the record]), Fiona McDermott (Dyer 5K), Eric Lubkkey (BHS choir and music) and Taylor (school psychologist). Miss Seaglia said these appointments are replacements except for the assistant principal position previously approved and that contracts cannot be issued until after board approval so new hires will begin after July 1.

The board moved to approve the staff appointments as presented; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn that carried by voice vote. The board did not record roll-call vote tallies in the minutes for these motions; approvals are recorded as voice votes in the transcript.

Votes at a glance: - President (Taylor Wishaw): Motion to approve moved by Paul, seconded by Kate; outcome: approved (voice vote; no roll-call tally provided). - Vice President (Marlo Brown): Moved by Josh, seconded by Coburn/Cobberneck; outcome: approved (voice vote; no roll-call tally provided). - Clerk (Mr. Coburn): Moved by Brown, seconded by Johnson; outcome: approved (voice vote; no roll-call tally provided). - Treasurer (Benjamin Puffer): Moved by Brown, seconded by Coburn/Cobberneck; outcome: approved (voice vote; no roll-call tally provided). - Authorization for Aaron Warbell to assist clerk: Mover not explicitly named in the record; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Regular meeting schedule (second Monday at 6:30 p.m. for 2026–27): Moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - CESA 2 delegate appointment: Moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - WASBA legislative delegate (Mr. Coburn): Moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Continuation of six board committees: Moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Staff appointments (certified positions list): Moved and seconded; outcome: approved (voice vote).

The board’s next procedural steps: members were asked to submit committee preferences by Friday; newly approved staff contracts will be issued after July 1 to begin the 2026–27 school year.