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District highlights continuous-improvement teams, 4K status and approves third draft of budget
Summary
District administrators and school teams presented Continuous Improvement Team (CIT) work across buildings, reported a near-capacity 4K program, and the board approved the third draft of the 2026–27 budget with changes to Fund 50 to continue the Dane County Senior Dining Program under specified conditions.
The Waunakee Community School District board heard a broad update on Continuous Improvement Teams (CITs), a 4K enrollment report and approved the third draft of the 2026-27 budget.
Dr. Brown (speaker 4) outlined the district's CIT framework, noting teams will focus on student achievement, attendance, behavior and engagement and will align to board-approved district goals. She said the teams create "building level ownership of district priorities" and emphasized data-driven monitoring and adjustments. The district presented survey results (12 respondents from principals and associate principals) showing most teams have between six and 15 members and that 83% of respondents indicated the CIT replaced prior guiding coalitions.
Teacher and building leader presenters described local work: Prairie (speaker 10 / Ally Chipwood) noted development of a classroom feedback rubric and book-study-based leader development; Heritage (Pam Smith, speaker 12) and the middle-school team described reworking PLC structures, launching an assessment center and focusing on a limited number of priorities through the SAIL training process. Presenters said teams have developed tools for discourse and feedback and that stipends totaling about $62,000 support the districtwide CIT structure.
In the 4K update, Miranda (speaker 5) said the program is nearly full, with approximately four openings and a special-education child counted as 1.5 due to part-week attendance; staff hiring is complete for the program.
On the budget, Ellie (speaker 7) presented the third draft, noting changes tied to the July 1 aid estimate and an adjustment to the property tax levy. She described Fund 50 changes to continue the senior-dining program if the village and senior center secure a replacement employee and a $2-per-meal increase; if those conditions are met, the program would continue on Jan. 1. The board moved to approve the third draft of the budget by voice vote.
Assessment clarification: during the consent-agenda discussion the chair asked about the difference between a local preACT and the state-administered preACT. Tim (speaker 19) explained the local preACT (administered under contract with ACT) provides item-level reports teachers and principals can use to target instruction; the secure state preACT is used for accountability and does not release item-level detail.
The meeting closed after routine calendar items and an adjournment motion.
Next steps: central office and building teams will continue CIT work into 2026-27, bring district-level report-card data to the board when the 2025-26 results are released, and implement the approved budget draft as the board finalizes levy and referendum planning.
