Board approves radios, CKLA materials and bus‑routing software; questions raised about costs and privacy

Trustees approved several procurement and personnel items during the meeting.

Bond‑funded radio purchase: The board approved replacement of aging analog radios with new digital units paid from bond funds. Presenters said the new radios should last at least five years, improve clarity and range, and may require minimal FCC licensing fees. An early‑purchase discount before an April 30 deadline could save roughly $30–$40 per radio; the district expects to buy several hundred radios and estimated aggregate savings on the order of tens of thousands of dollars.

CKLA instructional materials: The board approved a purchase of Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) materials for grades 1–3 (motion moved, seconded and approved by voice vote).

Tentative agreement with educational support personnel: Trustees approved the tentative agreement with the support personnel association as moved and seconded.

Transportation routing software: The board approved a general‑fund purchase of a routing and bus‑tracking system that includes an optimization module, onboarding of routes and a parent smartphone app for bus tracking and geofenced alerts. Presenters estimated roughly three to four months for onboarding and data conversion, and demonstrated how the system can reassign students and notify parents when a bus is late. Trustees and commenters asked about cost, whether the system reduces driver shortages (it does not remove the need for drivers but can improve efficiency), and privacy/security concerns raised by one commenter about real‑time location data. Presenters cited positive references (Chippewa Valley) and recommended a slow rollout and phased onboarding to avoid overwhelming families.

All motions carried; most were approved by voice vote and the consent agenda was approved by roll call earlier in the meeting.